Finding Nemo: the Fangirl Novelization
by Debbie Dai-chan
Summary: The simple novelization of DisneyPixar: 'Finding Nemo'. sniffles The Novelization is complete. Thank you for your comments and eagerness. I'm proud to be a Finding Nemo fan. Now, I need to be off to chase Gurgle.
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note:

Bubbles to all the fans of 'Finding Nemo'!

Now, before we go ahead and read the first fangirl novelization (probably) of the colorful movie, I'd like to settle some concerns that I'm having since I worked on this. First of all, I'm not seeking any copyrights to this novelization. This's simply for my enjoyment of writing one of my favorite movies upon paper, and hopefully yours of reading, as well, and I'm not trying to gather your attention to myself for pleasure. At first, when I got this marvelous idea of novelizing 'Finding Nemo', I never *thought* that I would choose to post the novelization on Internet. But I know that from my experience: how can you enjoy your work if no one else is enjoying it, too? I thought it's only fair that I can share my insane love of the little adorable clownfish, Nemo, and the cast in the movie, included the amazing, realistic scenic backgrounds and the warm feeling we get from living through the movie. It's only my wish that you will enjoy reading the novelization as much as I did writing it.

I want to inform you about one thing. I'm Deaf, which means that while I worked on the novelization, I relied heavily on dialogue and body language the characters gave during the movie. I had no feeling what kinds of sounds they hear or what kind of emotions they use in their voices because I cannot hear. It's the same thing with the backgrounds. I used what I see and feel from the entire movie and did my bestest best to write as accurately as I could. That's why I want you to be patient as you read on if you find an error in dialogue, such as the wrong person saying the wrong dialogue, or the wrong emotion in a certain voice. If you think I make a mistake in the dialogue, I'm very happy to hear from you. I want to make this novelization to be similar to the movie with the same emotions, feelings, and strength. If you feel that the novelization is a bit 'off' to the movie, please send a comment or complaint to my email address. No flames, of course! Flames are worthless, a waste to anybody's time, and I WILL NOT listen to them. Uuuuuuuundeeeerrrrssttttooooooooddd?

Also, when it's true that I'm the main author of this novelization, this wouldn't happen without help. The novelization is expanded with my imagination, along with the help of two fan books of Finding Nemo (That'll tell you that I'm already a rabid fan): _'Finding Nemo: The Junior Novelization' _and _'Finding Nemo: Don't Invite a Shark to Dinner and Other Lessons from the Sea'_, the entire movie of 'Finding Nemo' itself (included the Visual Commentary and 'Making Nemo') and tons of patience because I'm also working on few other stories. Oy, vey. :p Once again, I do not own 'Finding Nemo' or any of its cast, okey? The movie belongs to itself, to Andrew Stanton, the genius behind the movie, and to everybody that worked on it. Send them HUGE THANKS!

But I will have to set the disclaimer in each chapter to prove that I don't own 'Finding Nemo'. It's the Fido Law. Woof. So in the disclaimers, you will be greeted by two new muses of mine (inspired by the movie, of course) JC, a male Regal Blue Tang, and Dot, a Domino Damselfish. Usually, I wouldn't let my muses take over the Disclaimers, but lately, they've been begging me for their fifteen minutes of fame. Whatever they are doing, don't take them too seriously. They try very hard to be funny.

Now, let us continue reading the first fangirl-novelization of Disney/Pixar 'Finding Nemo'! And remember:

_Fishes are friends, not food!_

I mean it, buster! Hey, hey, don't you dare, if you put that finger_nail_ on that flounder - HEY!


	2. Prologue

Disclaimer: 

Two marine fishes are swimming altogether at a reef that should be familiar to the 'Finding Nemo' fans. They slow down when they spot a certain huge anemone standing alone at the edge of the reef. One of the fishes is eying the scene with impatience. Cue Dot, a Domino Damselfish, called for three white spots on her black body, one on her forehead and the other two on her sides. Her companion is a Regal Blue Tang, JC, and he is calmly waiting, also watching the scene. Off-screen, you would hear faint typing and lastly, it ends with a feminine voice 'Ta-da!'

Dot glances up at the silence and throws her fins up in triumph. "Finally! I thought she'd never finish the Author's note."

JC's dark red eyes close half-lidded in practiced patience. "She's the author, of course. She has the right to do it."

"Yeah, but she didn't hafta make it so long!"

The Blue frowns slightly, then glances off-screen to read something. "It's only one page long."

Scowling, the Damselfish shoves a curled black fin right in his face. "I didn't ask you to be my critic, man."

JC eyes the curled fin. Even that Dot is half his size, she has the famous challenging attitude and boldness that her species bear. It's silly and stupid to challenge her, and luckily for her, he is a gentlefish. He gently pushes her fin aside and voices calmly, changing the subject. "Anyhow, we need to tell the readers about the disclaimer."

Dot expresses her disgust of the disclaimers, though she had jumped at the chance to use the disclaimer to earn her fifteen minutes of fame. Whatever. "Lousy, lame, good-for-nothing . . ."

"Yes, yes. Start the disclaimer, Dot."

"Fine!" Dot flaps her tail to move herself closer to the screen, close enough to glare over to you with deep golden eyes. "Now, you pals! Yes, you, with the mouse, quivering over the screen! Listen up, guppies!"

"They're humans," JC helps out.

"Here you go with the critic thingy!"

"Shutting up now."

"Good, my man. Now, listen, ya humans. This novelization is only made from an insane fangirl, who simply wants to declare her weird admiration for animated fishes."

JC smacks his forehead and winces at the bitter inhale from the author.

"So she doesn't own any character in this story. The Pixar sharks did, those darn lucky bas - "

"Cool it!" JC scolds, yanking her tail.

Dot sticks out her tongue. "Man, you're strict."

"I have to be, what with your aggression." JC then points toward off-screen. "Now, let us leave and let them enjoy the story. Please?"

Dot shrugs, swimming to the edge, then stops there. She turns and yells, "You will see me again in the next chapter! Mark me, guppies, I shall be back!" With a devilish cackle, the Damselfish departs.

"Yes, unfortunately," JC mutters as he follows.

End the Disclaimer!

Prologue: New Parents

The Great Barrier Reef.

One of the beautiful, breathtaking reefs of Earth, formed near the eastern coast of Australia. Home to thousands of species of fishes. Made out of the fragile but colorful coral, dangerous anemones, and mysterious areas that can only be born out of dreams. The name of this reef was perfect for its protection of the tropical fishes, sheltering them with equally bright coral, painted among the ocean floor much like an underwater rainbow. Rainbow was definitely the right word for the underworld, its colors and lives never fading even during the night. 

Worlds went on within worlds, and underneath the gently billowing surface of the crystal water, a new life was going to begin.

At one of the Drop-offs, a lone anemone stood near the edge, its long pinkish-lavender tentacles silently swaying by the movements of the ocean. Its colors seemed to clash against the darker, almost frightening waters that lurked just beyond. Anybody would be foolish enough to swim in the waters of the drop-off, but two new residents weren't frightened at all.

Two Clownfish were nestling inside the anemone, poking their heads out. They were startling orange in color with white stripes lined across their bodies. They weren't concerned about the high possibility of their colors showing to predators, for they were safe inside the anemone. The anemone - their permanent home - provided protection with its stinging tentacles and used their colors to mingle into its colors nicely. 

The shy Clownfish were admiring the view of the drop-off, the male one exclaiming with awe as the female simply smiled on.

"Yes, Marlin," the female finally murmured, glancing over to him. Her pale orange and white scales are strikingly beautiful for a female, along with soft orange eyes and a face that had attracted many Clownfish. She did attract many, but only one had attracted her and stole her heart - her newfound mate, Marlin. 

Marlin turned toward her with a wide, excited grin. He wasn't an attractive fish, but his gentle and humorous personality was just enough for her. With his dark scales and matching orange eyes, she often wondered how this simple-looking fish had attracted a beautiful one like her. He was very friendly and kind, a perfect friend anybody could ask, and definitely a perfect mate for her.

"So, Coral," he was saying, "when you said you wanted an ocean view, you didn't think you were gonna get the whole ocean, didn't you?" Coral again smiled at Marlin's efforts to impress his mate every time. She wasn't worried about how perfect his presents were. The fact that he cared was enough. Even so, his latest gift - this anemone - was one of his best. Marlin swan off into the drop-off. showing no fear of open spaces. He took a deep breath. "Oh yeah! A fish can breathe out here. Did your man deliver or did he deliver?"

"My man delivered," Coral replied admirably.

"And it wasn't so easy," Marlin said proudly as he glided back.

"Because a lot of other Clownfish had their eyes on this place." Coral added an inward giggle. She would love to see the jealous gazes upon her other friends! 

Marlin nodded, still watching the dark waters. "You better believe that - every single one of them."

Coral's smile grew as she held on her mate's fin. "You did good." She then led him up from the anemone and faced the coral reef. "And the neighborhood is awesome."

Sure, it was far from her old home, but when she told Marlin that she wanted a good, friendly neighborhood for their future children, Marlin didn't fail her. She was amazed at how hospitable the fishes were, how they helped Marlin to find a perfect home for her and also showed their kindness to the new residents. Coral already loved the neighborhood. But . . . 

"So you did like it, didn't you?" 

Coral gazed back to Marlin, who had the worried visage on his plain face. Her heart melted at his worry of failing her, and she reassured him. "No, no, no, I like it." She touched his face, smiling. "I really do like it." She then shook her head; it was absurd to lie to her mate. She wanted him to be happy for himself, too, not just for her. She swam closer to the Drop-off, continuing, "But, Marlin, I know that the Drop-off is desirable with the great schools and the amazing view and all that, but do we really need so much space?"

By her side, Marlin was chuckling. "Coral, honey, our kids deserve the best. Look, look." Coral always admired his unusual speed for a small Clownfish as he darted into the anemone. He then poked his head out, pantomimed rubbing his eyes. "They'll wake up, pop their tiny heads out and - Whale! Right by their bedroom window."

In her mind, Coral was laughing with glee, but the mother-to-be simply gave her mate a lightly warning gaze and a fin at her lips. "Shh . . . You'll wake the kids."

Marlin followed after the female downward to a small cave built for the nursery underneath the anemone. The cave was dark, but as Coral peeked inside, she beamed at her four hundred eggs resting safely. They were like tiny dim suns nestled together to her. "Aw, look, they are dreaming." She was glad that her eggs were still safe. She kept on worrying that her eggs were vulnerable because they were at the Drop-off, but as always, Marlin assured her that they were safe. She only hoped so.

After a moment admiring the tiny eggs, Coral turned to Marlin. "We'll need to name them."

Marlin gave her an astonished expression. "You want to name them right now?" With his wide fin, he 'separated' the eggs into two halves with an imaginary line. "Ok, then we will name this half Marlin Junior and the other half Coral Junior." He nodded in satisfaction and darted upward.

"I like Nemo . . ." Coral whispered. She didn't know why she liked the name. It sounded just right to her.

"Nemo . . ." Marlin overheard her, floating down. "Ok, we will name one Nemo, but I'd like to have most of them to be Marlin Junior."

Coral then grinned widely. "Just imagine, in a couple of days, we will be parents."

"Yeah . . ." Marlin's voice suddenly was anxious. "What if they don't like me?"

Coral rolled her eyes. "Marlin . . ."

"No, really," Marlin said as Coral glided back to the anemone.

"There are over four hundreds eggs, Marlin. Odds are that one will like you." With that, Coral turned fin into the anemone. Silly Marlin, worrying about his own children not liking him! Who wouldn't like him? He was so lovable, so kind, that any kid would love him as a father. Why won't he see that? Why wouldn't he see that everybody does love him, and his children will be very lucky to have a father like him? She was lucky to have him as her mate. As she rested on the anemone bed, she looked back to see if Marlin has entered, and she was surprised to see him floating among the tentacles, eying her with sincere love in his orange eyes.

"What?" Coral voiced, blushing.

"Do you remember how we met?" he said almost dreamily.

She made a knowing smirk. "I try not to." 

"Well, I remember." Marlin darted toward the backing Coral, sticking out his lower lip. "'Excuse me, miss, but can you check and see if I have a hook in my lip?'

Coral laughed with delight as her mate tried to place a kiss on her, chasing her around. "You were getting a bit closer because it was wiggling!" A bit of his speed and Marlin was almost onto her, but Coral escaped with a quick flap of her tail. "Get away! Get away!" She rushed upward from the tentacles, then froze . . .

She should've known! She should have! She should've listened to the sounds outside the anemone. Silence. Eerie silence. Deadly silence. Only her mate's teasing voice broke through the silence, he not knowing the danger.

"Here he is. Cutie's here."

Coral's eyes shifted slightly and noticed a dark shadow far ahead . . .

"Where did everybody go?" Then she heard a gasp from Marlin, he also noticing a predator - a Barracuda. It was barely seen against the dark waters, its grey and black scales like metal, smooth and cold. Its piercing black eyes were powerful enough to spot any unsuspecting fish, and they were sharply locked on her. Her tiny heart began to hammer with absolute terror. She couldn't move, her gaze trapped under its hypnotic glare. She wouldn't move if she had to. A slight move, and the Barracuda will bite on her in seconds. It can move fast, too fast for eyes to notice. 

"Coral . . . " Marlin murmured, his voice thick with fright. "Get in the house."

_House . . . Marlin . . . kids. Kids! My kids!_ Coral's eyes finally broke from the glare and shifted down to the cave. Her babies . . . she can't let that monster take them away . . . She can't . . .

"No, Coral, don't." The male's voice grew hard, demanding. "They'll be fine. Just get inside - you, right now."

_Marlin  . . . I . . . I . . . No, I can't!_

With all her speed, Coral shot for the cave. She only felt the rushing of the water passing her scales, stroking her fear further, then heard the screams and grunts as Marlin battled the barracuda for her and their babies' lives. She made it! She made it in the cave. Her kids were safe, her kids were safe. Marl - 

A flash of orange burst past her vision, then blackness.

***

He couldn't remember anything except for the pain that has been aching in his side and head. He felt dry in his head, pain clouding his thoughts. He didn't remember how long he was hurt, but eventually, almost instantly, memories came in. Fangs. That were all he saw. Fangs. Long, ugly, flashing fangs . . . Fangs . . . Barracuda. Barracuda?

Marlin weakly opened his eyes, seeing darkness. The anemone was silently swaying its bluish tentacles, the result from the settled night. A new memory burst into his head and he gasped.

_Coral!_

"Coral!" Marlin screamed as he righted himself. He was inside the anemone, alone. He remembered now. After his mate swam for the cave, the Barracuda sped forward. It was like black and silver lightning, but Marlin was fast, too, ramming his head against the slick body. After almost snapping its fangs at Marlin, the Barracuda had swiped at him with a turn of its tail. Marlin was knocked out cold as he crashed against some coral, and . . . and he must've tumbled into his anemone.

But he was alone.

Marlin quickly swam out, calling out her name. Nothing. All he saw was the moonlight shifting through the waters, not enough light to illuminate his vision. It was so dark . . . It looked like night, but with despair and fear hanging in his chest, Marlin felt like he was all alone.

Where was his Coral? He gazed down to the cave, and was distressed to see no light from inside. He couldn't see anything down there. "Coral?" Slowly, fearfully, he swam downward until he arrived to the entrance. There, he made a small gasp. The cave was empty . . . all of his eggs . . . gone. His Coral . . . gone. He searched inside, still not believing his calamity. "Coral?" He then went out, hoping to see a speck of orange and the soft smile of his mate. Anything . . . 

_No . . . He was alone . . . all alone . . ._

The lone Clownfish buried his head in his fins and began to weep. He couldn't believe it . . . He thought he would be happy with his new life with Coral and his future kids, but now . . . it was all his fault. He should've known that it was too dangerous for any small fish, especially Clownfish to live near the Drop-off. There were too many predators to enjoy life there . . . 

Marlin peered down toward the cave, again hoping to see his Coral there and . . . there! He was shocked to see a dot of dim orange upon one of the sand beds. It looked like . . . an egg! One of his eggs! Marlin quickly swan closer and was despaired to see the tiny infant in the egg shaking with fright. "There, there, there," Marlin soothed as he tenderly picked up the egg in his fins. Oh, it was so tiny! So tiny that he could hold it in his fin . . . "it's ok. Daddy's here. Daddy's got you . . ."

Turning the egg around, Marlin then regarded a hairline crack across the infant's right side. It was damaged, but the infant was still alive. The attack has almost taken his life. "I promise I will never let anything happen to you . . ." He paused, remembering his mate's last wish. He then smiled. "Nemo."

Author's Opinions: (I will discuss my opinions about the scenes; you will see them in each chapter)

This is one of the saddest scenes of the movies that nearly caused me to weep my heart out. I was surprised that the Pixar guys would choose to show this sad scene so early in the movie, but then of course, they had a reason. I really liked the way the movie first introduced Marlin and his mate as new parents, all ready for their children to be born, then this tragedy . . .  Let me tell you: that barracuda did scare me the moment it targeted for Coral. Man, that thing does move FAST!


	3. First Day of School

Disclaimer:

The screen slowly fades from black . . . into one huge glaring yellow eye. This is Dot's eye. Nice eye, don't you think?

"Ha!" Dot grins madly. "Thought I won't be back? Did y'all miss me?"

JC's voice speaks from behind her, "Dot, what are you - oh, you weren't looking at me? That's good because I don't want to see your face."

Dot pauses, then backs up until her physique is seen. JC floats nearby, amusement seen from under his serene expression. She pouts up to him, looking sincerely hurt. "That wounds my little heart, man." 

JC's eyes slightly widen. "I'm surprised that you've actually got a heart."

"Ouch!" Dot recoils at the words, holding her stomach in excessive pain, wailing in agony of her friend's offense. 

The Blue mildly watches her, his expression unmoved. Finally, he speaks, "Quit it. You're embarrassing yourself."

Dot stops, her efforts causing her to float upside-down. Her eyes narrow at the Blue, knowing that now she looks completely silly. Righting herself, she then grins good-naturedly, giving him a friendly slap upon his forehead. "You know, I couldn't help but liking you."

JC raises his gaze and sighs. "That scares me, too. Now, Dot, the disclaimer."

The Damselfish opens her mouth, then stops. "No, no, JC! It's not mine to do it! It's yours!"

The serene visage abruptly changes into bashfulness. He's such a cutie when he's like that. JC rubs his head sheepishly. "What can I say?"

She grins, nudging him. "Anything! Just tell them to quit bugging Debbie for more."

JC appears mildly perplexed for a moment, and then says, "They didn't bug her."

"Not yet."

The red eyes roll. "Ok, then." He nears the screen and clears his throat. He makes a graceful bow and speaks, "My fellow people -"

He is rudely cut off by Dot's groaning. She waves her fins at him in annoyance. "Good lord, you sound like a president."

A bitter look passes his face for an instant, seen only by you, before it is quickly covered by the calm gaze. "It's my turn, Dot. You can say anything you want. I say whatever I like."

"At least, sounds like you're having fun!"

"Shoo." As she backs, letting JC taking his position, he gently smiles at you. "Now, the disclaimer is very simple. Debbie (Dai-chan) doesn't own Pixar: 'Finding Nemo' nor any character in the movie. She, although, does own us, her newest muses." He pauses, thinking of something else to add. "It seems good enough, right, Dot?"

Snoring answers him. JC stares at the small black fish falsely snoring. He isn't troubled by that; he's got used to her attitude. Then a playful grin comes on his face. With a sharp turn of his yellow tail, he swats her awake and a laughing word fills the space where he used to be, he already darting off. "Tag!"

Dot blinks and chases after him, hollering, "Hey, no fair!"

Chapter One: First Day of School

Every day, the sun dawned, giving off whitish-yellow light rays to play among the waters. Every day, the fishes woke to the sun and became alive, swimming and working and eating, just like every other day. The day was nothing special.

But to a young Clownfish, this day was extremely special.

"First day of school!" the six-year-old Clownfish shouted, barely erupting with excitement in his tiny body. It was the first day of school, and he couldn't wait to learn! He couldn't wait to get out of this stuffy anemone and make new friends! He couldn't wait to see the beautiful reef with his own eyes! Inside the anemone, Nemo turned to his sleeping father and giggled. Marlin often preferred to sleep late, but his son often didn't let him. "Wake up! Wake up!" Nemo delightfully yelled right into Marlin's ear. When his father barely stirred, he then bumped on the larger Clownfish with his body. "Time for school!"

" I don't wanna go to school," Marlin muttered, absently brushing at where Nemo was. "Five more minutes."

"Not you, Dad. Me!" Nemo again shook his father awake with nudges of his head. Again, his excitement was too much, and he began to swim back and forth, chanting "Time for school! Time for school!" 

Marlin blinked his eyes and slowly righted himself. "Ok, ok, I'm up."

His swimming skills weren't so great, because of his uniqueness, and he rather swam awkwardly, not as smoothly and steadily as his father. Also, just like his father, Nemo loved to swim swiftly. He was speeding around his father, chanting, using his tail and one of his fins to halt his speed before turned fin. Nemo sharply turned toward his father, but he miscalculated his speed and it sent him tumbling right out of the anemone.

Now fully awake and fully shocked, Marlin yelled, "Nemo!" Quickly, poking his head out, Marlin then spied his son, stuck upside-down in one of the holes in the coral, cheerfully chanting about school. "Nemo, don't move!" he demanded, his eyes wide with fright of both his son's safety and the dangers lurking outside the safety of his house. "You will never get out of it yourself. I'll do it." Grabbing around the small body, Marlin tugged once, twice, and finally, with a pop, Nemo was free, still grinning.

Marlin quickly ushered Nemo back inside, freaking out. "Do you need a break?"

"No . . ." Nemo lightly grimaced at what was about to happen.

"You never tell because fluid can rush into an area," Marlin said, peering under his son's left fin. Then he turned him upside-down, asking worriedly, "Are you woozy?"

"No."

"How many stripes do I have?"

"I'm fine," Nemo muttered, rolling his eyes. Why did his dad have to act that way every time? It was annoying. 

"Answer the stripe question!"

"Three."

"No! See? Something's wrong with you," Marlin said, then spun around to count his stripes. "I have one, two, three - that's all I have?" He smiled in relief, calming down. "Ok, you're fine. How is your lucky fin?"

A smile formed on the youngster's mouth. He proudly flapped his tiny right fin - his uniqueness. "Lucky."

Marlin held out his fin. "Let's see." Nemo managed to give him a high-five (_more like a low-five, _he thought) before his awkward balance caused him to tumble. Marlin caught him and asked, "Now, are you sure you want to go to school? There is no problem if you don't. You can wait five or six years . . ."

_'Cut it out, Dad,' _Nemo inwardly sighed and tugged on his father's fin. "C'mon, Dad, it's time for school."

Marlin let his son slightly drag him until he stopped. "Wait, forgot to brush." As Nemo groaned, he continued, "Do you want this anemone to sting you?"

Nemo glanced at the anemone, then bluntly replied, "Yes."

"Brush."

The lad quickly brushed himself against the tentacles, as he had always done every day ever since he was born. He felt the familiar, warm burn that lightly stroked through his scales before it was removed by his immunity. Nemo knew that it was very important to him, and to all the other Clownfish, to perceive the anemone's sting, for the sting was their only defense from predators. Nemo began to head outside. "Here, I'm done."

"Wait!" Marlin grabbed on his tail, dragging him back in. "Forgot a spot."

"Where?"

"Here!" His father tickled under Nemo's chin, making him giggle. _Uh-oh! _Nemo beamed as Marlin continued their favorite tickling game. He tried to escape from the invading fins, but Marlin, being the faster one, caught him before he could escape. 

Finally, the Clownfish poked their heads out, Marlin nervously and watchful and Nemo curious, although cautious. Their anemone home wasn't the one Marlin had gave Coral. Right after Marlin found his one egg, he moved out, searching for an anemone, just small enough for two. The yellow-tentacled anemone was settled in a crowded neighborhood, safely nestled within many corals surrounding it. It may be very safe, but Marlin almost never got out of his home unless it was really necessary. Now, that his son was coming to school, Marlin's heart again beat worriedly at the possible dangers that could take his Nemo away like they did to his Coral.

The surroundings were empty, but he wasn't that satisfied.

"Alright, we're excited. The first day of school," Marlin said, his eyes darting around for an ambush. "Here we go. We're ready to learn some knowledge." He then looked back to Nemo. "What's the first thing we have to remember about the ocean?"

"It's not safe," Nemo said carefully.

"That's my boy. Now, first, we check to see that the coast is clear. We go out . . . and back in." Nemo following along, Marlin chanted the words flapping his tail to move him forward, then used his fins to sneak back in. It was the Clownfish's way to test if there was any predators waiting, watching for the prey to leave the safety. "And then we go out . . . and back in. And then one more time - out and back in." Marlin had made this method into a chanting recital to teach Nemo, but sometimes, just sometimes, he could do it a bit too much. "And sometimes if you want to do it four times . . ."

"Dad . . ." Nemo was exasperated as he began to head for the schoolyard.

"Alright, boy, here we go," Marlin quickly added, rushing to his son, keeping at his right to help him balance.

After Nemo was born, there was nothing wrong with him, no damage caused on him from the barracuda's attack. But then Marlin had noticed that his right fin looked slightly weaker than his left fin. Also, it didn't have the right appearance at all. There were ridges and scars on the fin, looking no similar to his own fin. When Nemo was a baby, the fin was the right size for him to swim and he didn't seem to have trouble swimming. Yet, as Nemo grew, the right fin remained the same in size. Right now, the right fin looked like a dwarf to the normal left fin. Because of that, Nemo had lost his ability to swim and had to flap his broken fin swiftly just for floating correctly. The sight of the broken fin made Marlin's heart clench in pain and guilt every time, recalling that his decision of picking this perfect, beautiful anemone by the drop-off had caused Coral's death and Nemo's disability.

Nemo didn't mind his disability, instead called his right fin his 'lucky fin'. He didn't like to think that he was 'made wrongly', believing that he was unique. Marlin often admired the optimism and innocence in his only son. Whenever he looked upon Nemo, he saw Coral in him. Nemo had the gentle smile that increased in size with his own happiness, the pale orange, adorable scales that sparkled just like his mother's, and even this shyness in his dark eyes that brightened whenever he made a new friend. HIs cheerful personality was just like his father's, before he was traumatized by the attack. But one of the things that Marlin admired in Nemo was his endless questions - which started now.

"Maybe, at school, I'll see a shark!" Nemo said, his eyes wide with eagerness.

"I highly doubt it," Marlin chuckled as he lightly pushed his son back into balance.

"Have you ever met a shark?"

"No, and I don't plan to."

"How old are sea turtles?'

Marlin paused, puzzled. "I don't . . . know." 

"Sandy Plankton said sea turtles can live up to 100!"

Nemo headed for the crossing as Marlin said, "If I'll see a sea turtle, I'll make sure to ask him. Right after I'm done talking with the shark, ok?" He then stopped Nemo before he crossed the busy current. "Oh, hold up, wait to cross."

As they arrived to the schoolyard, Nemo gave his father a chiding look. "Dad, you aren't going to freak out like you did at the petting zoo?"

"That snail was about to charge," Marlin protested defensively.

The schoolyard was sure busy at this time of the day. Many parents were already there, escorting their kids and getting ready for school. Nemo looked around with wide eyes. He'd never seen so many different fishes. They were so colorful and diverse. There was a mother fish whose kids were swimming out from her mouth! He thought it was a funny thing to do. Also, he spotted a little tease between two bullies who tossed a hermit crab's shell while he was trying to get it back. _It isn't that nice,_ Nemo thought. Soon, Marlin led him to a group of fathers who were laughing about something. Nemo was surprised to see that the fathers weren't the same species, but each a different species, laughing and talking like they were best friends. 

"Is this the place to meet the teacher?" Marlin modestly asked the group. The fathers were a Seahorse with sleepy eyes, looking like he was watching with enjoyment under these heavy lids; a Butterfly fish with bright yellow and blue markings, along with wide, merry eyes; and a small flap-jack Octopus who seemed to be the quiet one.

The Seahorse smiled at the older Clownfish. "Well, look who's out the anemone."

Marlin chuckled. "Yes, shocking, I know."

"Marty, right?"

"Marlin."

"Bob," introduced the Seahorse.

"Ted," added the Octopus.

"Bill," finished the Butterfly fish. He then glanced at Marlin's markings. "Hey . . . you're a Clownfish. You're funny, right? Tell us a joke."

The other fathers nodded in agreement. Marlin made a withdrawn grin as he said, "That's a common misconception. Clownfish are no funnier than any other fish."

"C'mon, Clownie," Bill encouraged.

"Do something funny!" Ted gestured with one of his tentacles.

Nemo knew that his dad was one of those fishes who always tried to please everybody at once, and so at the fathers' persistence, he gave in and told a joke. Too bad that he didn't have a bit of humor in his entire body, Nemo thought with a grimace.

"There's a mollusk, see? And he walks up to a sea - He doesn't walk up, he swims up. Actually, the mollusk isn't moving. He's in one place, and the sea cucumber - Well, they - I'm mixed up," Marlin stuttered. "There was a mollusk and a sea cucumber. None of them were walking, so forget that I - "

"_Sheldon!_" Bob suddenly barked at someone behind them. "Get right out of Mr. Johansson's yard!"

Nemo glanced back and saw three children, just his age, laughing and tagging each other above a sand bed. They were the smaller versions of the fathers, clearly. The sand bed then moved, sand floating away, and revealed a large, old Flounder. The kids cleverly rushed to the Flounder's blind side while he tried to search for them with his two eyes, which were on one side.

It looked sure fun! "Can I play, Dad, can I?" Nemo asked Marlin.

Marlin took a look at the scene and shook his head. "I'd feel better if you play on the sponge beds."

_Sponge beds?_Nemo wrinkled his nose at the sight of two mothers playing with infants, who were bouncing on the sponge beds. One fell off and began crying out loud. Nemo frowned at his smiling father. _That's for babies!                                      _

"That's where I'd play," Marlin said.

The playing kids swam back to their fathers, then slowed down as they saw Nemo. They surrounded him, gazing curiously at his right fin.

"What's wrong with his fin?" asked the flap-jack Octopus girl. Her coloring was more pinkish than her father's, with hints of orange and grey within.

"It looks funny," said the small Butterfly fish. He had the usual mischief of youngsters mixed with heavy curiosity.

The Seahorse lad was quiet, almost timid, but then when his father smacked him right in his head with his tail without any reason, he gave him an irritated glare. "Ow! What did I do?"

"Be nice to him," Bob said. "It's his first time to school."

Marlin explained the reason of Nemo's right fin. "He's born with it. We call it his lucky fin."

Nemo felt his cheeks warming. _Please, Dad, don't embarrass me like that._ "Dad . . ." he gave him a look.

"See this tentacle?" the Octopus voiced, Nemo glancing down to one of her tiny tentacles. "It's actually shorter than all my other tentacles, but you really can't tell. Especially when I whirl them." She giggled as she prettily whirled them.

"I'm H2O intolerant," said Sheldon just before a violent sneeze pushed him away.

Then the Butterfly Fish shoved his head right close to Nemo's, his bright blue eyes sparkling. "And I'm obnoxious." He added a rather loud laugh that seemed, indeed, obnoxious.

Just then, a deep voice came out from somewhere, singing in a perfect rhyme of melody. _"Oh . . . let's name the zones, the zones, the zones . . ."_ Along with the group, Nemo looked up and regarded a gigantic Manta Ray gliding above. His size almost blocked the water sun, casting a soft shadow over the small fishes. His flat fins lightly flapped upon the currents. His dark coloring of blue and grey seemed to clash against the colorful reef.

"Mr. Ray!" the kids cheered, dashing for the group of children who were waiting for school to start.

"Come on, Nemo!" Sheldon beckoned before he swam off.

Now excited, Nemo began forward, but then his father's large fin came on his head, stopping him. "No, you better stay with me." Nemo lightly frowned at that. In his excitement, he had forgotten that his overprotective dad was still at his side.

As he watched, Mr. Ray kept on singing cheerfully, then suddenly, he particularly landed on his class! Mr. Ray glanced around in puzzlement and playfully said, "Oh, I wonder where my class is."

The kids crawled out from under him, giggling and laughing. "We are here!"

"Oh, there you are!" Mr. Ray chuckled, then dropped down one of his wings. "C'mon, get on." He began singing a different verse as the children boarded on his back one by one. The Clownfish swam to him, Nemo marveling at the size of the gentle Manta Ray and Marlin radiating deep worry of the size.

"Dad, you can go home now," Nemo told his dad before he followed the line.

Mr. Ray glanced at him and grinned. "Hello, who is this?"

"I'm Nemo," he suddenly felt shy.

"Well, Nemo, all new explorers need to answer a science question."

"Ok."

"You live in what kind of home?"

Nemo grinned. He knew this! "An anemon-none . . . anemenem-menome . . ."

Mr. Ray winced at the young fish's efforts to say the word. "Ok, don't hurt yourself. Welcome aboard, explorers!"

But before he could swim off, Marlin stopped him, voicing with the usual worry of his son, "Just so you know, he's got a little fin. I find if he's having trouble swimming, I let him have a break. Ten, fifteen minutes . . ."

"Dad, you can go now," Nemo said from the back of the Manta Ray. He again felt embarrassment, and he just hoped that Marlin got the hint and let him have fun at school.

Apparently, Mr. Ray noticed the kid's embarrassment, for he gave Marlin an encouraging wink. "Don't worry. We will stay in a group." Marlin seemed to accept it and swam back to let the Manta Ray and his class go to school. As Mr. Ray flapped his wings up into the water, he announced to his class, "Ok, class, optical orbits up front. And remember, we keep our supraesophogeal ganglion to ourselves. That means you, Jimmy."

"Aw, man!" groaned a high-pitched voice from on his back.

"Bye, son!" Marlin called after, seeing his son becoming smaller and smaller . . .

"Bye, Dad!" Nemo waved back.

"Bye, son!" Marlin waited for another call, but his son didn't respond. The class finally vanished into the water. Marlin's heart clenched with anxiety at things that could happen to his son. "Be safe . . ." he whispered, hoping that Nemo would hear.

"You're doing pretty well for a first-timer," said Bob with an amused chuckle in his voice.

Marlin half-smiled. "Yeah, you can't hold on them forever." He didn't look around, keeping his eyes on where his son disappeared.

"I had trouble with my oldest at the Drop-off," Bill admitted as the other fathers nodded in understanding.

"They will grow - " The word 'Drop-off' popped an alarm in his mind and Marlin gasped, recalling the dangers there. He whirled around, almost screaming, "What, the Drop-off? They are going to the Drop-off?! Are you insane?!" He then rushed off to find his son and keep him safe from the danger there, but he wasn't finished with the fathers. "Why won't we just fry them up now and serve them with chips?" he snapped at them.

"Hey, Marty, calm down," Bob said, frowning, as Ted and Bill blinked in surprise.

"Don't tell me to be calm, pony boy," Marlin retorted back as he continued swimming for the Drop-off.

Bob had the strange look on his face. " . . . Pony boy?"

Bill shook his head, whispering to them, "You know, for a Clownfish, he's not that funny."

Ted added, "Pity."

***

As Mr. Ray swam through the reef, the kids had a blast watching the sights and seeing the bright fishes swimming. Nemo enjoyed it the most. He hadn't really explored the reef in his short life, mainly because of his father's over protectiveness, but he kinda understood why. The reef was a dangerous place, especially for any small fish living there. They had to watch for their safety constantly and carefully so they wouldn't be caught by an ambush or a sudden attack of a predator. Lives in the reef were never easy.

But right now, Nemo felt completely safe with Mr. Ray. The Manta Ray, although gentle to everybody, had a body of gigantic size that none but the most persistent predators would dare to face him. His long tail was one of his defenses: a stinger resting within the tail. If he would meet a danger, Mr. Ray would sting him immediately that paralyze it and escape before it could recover in time. No wonder he was the perfect guardian for the kids in the dangerous reef. And he was the perfect teacher, too. Mr. Ray obviously loved to sing and teaching, and so he combined them into one. Nemo enjoyed listening to his deep voice as the Manta Ray vocalized about all the species living in the reef and some.

Nemo curiously looked downward from his seat on the Manta Ray. Oh, look! A Spanish Dancer! It was so beautiful. It was flat in body, and its frills were wavy and wide, used for swimming around. It was colored dark pink, red, and bright white, glaringly against solemn coral underneath it. Oh, again, look! More schools! They weren't as large as his class, but those schools looked like they were occupied by older fishes, probably families or just traveling through the reef. All Nemo saw was flashes of colors everywhere. The reef was so gorgeous. He wondered what his father would say if he looked at the reef without fear . . .

Eventually, Mr. Ray finally arrived to a large sand bed. He dipped his left wing down. "Alright, kids, here we are. Feel free to explore, but stay close." He then gasped in marvel as he regarded a tiny, orangish speck in the water. He began one of his lessons as the kids eagerly listened.

 Nemo was interested, too, but then he heard the bored voice of the Butterfly fish - Tad, he recalled - whispering to Sheldon and the octopus, Pearl, "Come on."

Nemo glanced around and saw the trio secretly swimming away between coral. He took a glimpse at the Manta Ray, but the teacher wasn't paying attention. His curiosity grew, and Nemo tagged after his new friends. "Hey, guys, wait up!" He called as he awkwardly swam to where they were. To his surprise, the trip stopped just a few meters. Taking a look around, Nemo noticed that he was at one of the quiet but perilous areas of the reef - a Drop-off. Nemo was awed and a bit frightened at the sight. He was used to busy traffic, clear and warm waters, and the crowded feeling to it, but the Drop-off . . . it had nothing of this. He felt like he was at the end of the world with the dark, cooler water silently floating in front and his home behind. It was eerily quiet, and the waters were so empty that Nemo did have the feeling that there _was _someone out there, hiding within the darkness, watching him, too.

Altogether, the four children peeked downward from the edge, seeing how deep and how dark the waters were. Suddenly, Tad grabbed on Pearl and yanked her back on the edge. "Saved your life!"

In her brief shock, Pear had spurted out a cloud of black around her tentacles. She looked down and grimaced at the laughing Tad and Sheldon. "Aw, you made me ink."

Nemo made a small smile, then something white attracted his eyes. He looked upward and saw a strange shape floating upon the surface. It looked much like his belly, curved and thick, but it was huge! It was colored white with some kind of grey thing - maybe a tentacle? - trailing down and down into the darkness. It floated quietly and unmoving. "What's that?" he said, pointing with his good fin.

The kids gazed at the belly and Tad said, "I know what it is. Sandy Plankton saw one. It's called a butt."

"Oohh . . ." the children said altogether. Nemo knew who Sandy Plankton was. He had traveled all over the oceans and saw everything and knew everything! If he saw a shape like that and knew it was called a butt, then he was right! 

"That's a pretty big butt," Pearl observed.

Sheldon held a mild eager glint in his black eyes as he calmly swam off into the open water. The children watched in amazement as Sheldon got a bit closer to the butt. "Oh, look, I'm going to touch the butt." Then a sharp sneeze pushed him much farther from the edge. "Whoa!" Sheldon rushed back to his original spot in the water. He then frowned at Pearl, who was laughing. "Oh yeah? Let's see _you _get closer."

"Okay," Pearl shrugged and glided past Sheldon. "Beat that!"

Tad beat her, indeed, swimming past her and looking back to the little Clownfish. "C'mon, Nemo, see how far you swim."

Nemo wanted to beat all of his friends, showing that he can get closer to that butt, but he hesitated. He knew that the Drop-off wasn't safe at all, even though it was quiet right now. He shook his head. "My dad said it's not safe."

"NEMO, no!" Nemo jumped in surprise as he heard his father barking right behind him. Turning around, he saw Marlin darting to him and harshly, almost angrily pushing him off. Nemo was frightened to see the fuming anger in the dark orange eyes. Marlin had his moments of irritation and annoyance, but never in anger, never toward his son. Marlin was angry. He pointed toward the edge, yelling, "You were about to swim into open water!"

Nemo tried to calm him and failed. "No, I wasn't - "

"It's a good thing that I caught you just in time."

"But, Dad, I wasn't-"

At that moment, the kids had arrived back and surrounded Nemo, defending their new friend. "He wasn't going to swim out there, sir," Pearl meekly said.

"Yeah, he was too afraid," Tad added.

"No, I wasn't!" Nemo scowled back at Tad.

Marlin gave each of the kids a withering glare. "This doesn't concern you, kids, and you're lucky I don't tell your parents!" His anger evaporated a bit, showing his usual worry toward Nemo. "You know you can't swim well!"

Nemo felt his chest hardening with embarrassment and shame. When will his dad ever see that he swims just fine?! He snapped back, "But I can swim fine, Dad, _OK_?"

"No, it's not okay. I was right," Marlin nodded as he grabbed on his son's fin and dragged him toward the reef. "You aren't ready. You will start in a year or two - "

Nemo jerked out of his hold. "No, Dad!" _How dare Dad to embarrass me in front of my new friends? How dare Dad to think that anything dangerous will definitely target on me? Nothing wrong is happening to me! Nothing! He's overreacting! _"Just because you're afraid of the ocean - "

"Clearly, you're not ready, and you're not coming back until you are," Marlin glared back, silencing him. "You think you can do those things, but you just can't, Nemo!"

Nemo took a breath to snap back, and then exhaled. But his anger didn't evaporate. He cast his gaze down, letting the words coming out from his mouth. "I hate you." 

And he meant it.

Even that he wasn't looking at his father, he can imagine the shocked look on his face. He felt a bit guilty about saying the words then, but he really did meant it. He was furious that his dad wouldn't let him have his fun when he wanted to. He knew that his father was changed after his mother died, but it didn't mean that Nemo would get the same death. He knew that he was the only child Marlin had to remember his mate, and the very lucky one to escape death with a bad fin, but . . . it wasn't fair! It wasn't! Why can't Nemo have his fun? Why can't he prove to his father that he can do just fine without having him watching over him every five minutes?

He heard Mr. Ray's voice talking to Marlin about a problem and looked up to see Marlin worriedly talking to him about his son unable to take care of himself. Right in front of his friends and the rest of the class! How embarrassing! Nemo's bitter scowl deepened. He had to find something to prove to his father and class that he can take care of himself just fine. He darkly glanced over to the butt floating on the surface. _Touch the butt . . . _ha, Nemo will show his dad that he was braver than him.

Suddenly, a blue-green scaled gal gasped and shouted, pointing at the butt. "Oh, my gosh! Nemo is swimming out to sea!"

"Nemo!" he heard his father yelling from a distance. Nemo was surprised to find that the dark waters weren't dangerous at all. Just quiet. Nothing dangerous will happen to him and he will show that to his father. He arrived to the grey, cold-looking tentacle that was hanging from the butt. He took a look upward. Wow, it looked really far and long . . .

"What do you think you're doing?" Marlin kept on yelling. "You're gonna get stuck out there and I have to get you before another fish does!"

Nemo found it rather amusing that his father wouldn't _even _go out to get him. There was nothing to get scared of. It was only a butt. Ignoring his father, Nemo swam upward until he arrived to the butt. 

"Get back here!" Marlin finally swam to the very edge of the Drop-off and stabbed his fin down. "I said get back here, _now_!" 

Nemo turned around, scowling bitterly at his father.  

"Stop! You take one more move, mister - " 

He held out his good fin. 

"Don't you dare! If you put one fin on that boat - are you listening to me?"

He slowly raised his fin . . . 

"Don't touch the bo -" 

He slapped the hard underbelly, resulting into his father's biting yell, "NEMO!"

"He touched the butt," whispered Tad.

"Now you just paddle your little tail right here, Nemo!" Marlin ranted as his son swam toward him. Nemo silently listened, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "That's right. You're in big trouble, young man. Do you hear me? Big - Big . . ." He noticed his father's voice trailing off, his frightened eyes widening at something behind his son. His body slackened, and Nemo was surprised to see that. His father rarely rested, always fidgeting over small things. 

Then he heard his class gasp, their wide eyes stuck at a spot behind him. He felt a presence floating nearly, and Nemo hesitated. Was . . . was it something dangerous? Slowly, Nemo turned around, but . . . all he saw was his reflection on a . . . flat, ugly eye that was shaped all wrong. The eye was so big that he could see all his reflection on a small part of it. Then he saw hands and two fins. They was all black with weird markings of yellow and green. Thousands and thousands of bubbles hissed from the creature's mouth. And it . . . that creature was enormous. He couldn't see all of it in his vision. It - it was a Diver!

One of the hands was close to him and blocked him from escaping. Truly terrified, Nemo yelled for his father. "Daddy! Help me!" 

Marlin blinked out of his daze at the voice of his son. He saw that the Diver was trying to lead Nemo into a net. Oh, no! "Nemo!" Marlin darted forward, but was stopped by another Diver. He gasped at the size, knowing that he's heard about the strange creatures, but could never imagine how huge they can get. He felt so tiny. He swam back, blocked by the coral. He couldn't see anything but the face of the Diver, the mask engrossing him. He heard Mr. Ray's voice as he led his class to safety. He couldn't think of anything else but his son. Then the Diver made a weird electric eel-like flash with a kind of box coral. The white glare blinded Marlin and he blinked rapidly, his heart beating anxiously. "Nemo! No! Nemo!" 

His vision was blurred, clouded with colors, couldn't see anything. But he kept on hearing his son yelling for him. Finally, his vision cleared, and Marlin glanced up to the boat. The two Divers were already swimming for the boat, taking his son with him! Marlin crazily rushed for the boat, flapping his tail as fast and hard as much as he can_. No, nonononononono, they can't take him! They can't! They can't!_ As he finally arrived at the boat, he wildly searched for a way to get on. Unfortunately, the boat's tail suddenly spun swiftly, spitting out more bubbles. He got caught in the spin of bubbles and was pushed back. Marlin fought to get his balance, then saw that the boat was gone. His heart increased in beating, but then he noticed the trail of bubbles left behind. _Hope!_ He's gonna get his son back! Marlin hurried after, following the trail.

_In the boat, Dr. S put his new catch into a small icebox to keep him alive on the trip. The waters were a bit rocky, and the bounce of the boat caused the Diver fall back and bumped his mask into the water._

He didn't know how long he'd been chasing the boat, but he didn't care of the time but the safety of his son. He can't imagine being without his son, all alone once again. He can't let that happen again. He kept his eyes on the bubble trail, pushing his remaining strength into flapping his tail. Slowly, he then noticed that the bubbles lessened in number in the trail. "No, no, it's gone, it's gone . . ." Marlin was disbelieved as the trail completely vanished before his eyes. All that remained was calm water surface, gently billowing. "No, it can't be gone!"

Marlin broke through the surface, gazing around. "Nemo! Nemo!" He saw nothing. Nothing was there. Nothing but the sky, which was painted dark red with pale pink that marked the setting sun's path. Nothing but empty, waving water surface. Nothing. His son was gone. Marlin felt his throat contracting, giving out sobs.

"No, please, no!"

A/O:

Very cute introduction of Nemo, which I loved to laugh at his grimaces as Marlin worriedly examined him for any injuries. The Pixar dudes did an amazing animation of Nemo, showing every bit of innocence, excitement, and childishness of the young one without overdoing it. Marlin was hilarious in this, trying his best to be a father and pleasing everybody, especially the joke to the fathers. How could you not like him? :)

Nemo's new friends were wonderful, even in their brief moments. H20 intolerant?! That's a first for everything, I suppose. The scene between Nemo and Marlin after they argued did set the climax of their tension. Yes, there are many climaxes in this movie, more than I could count. After Nemo was taken, I literally shouted at the screen, scolding Marlin, but then whooping for his side when he decided to find his son. I always root for the underdog. :)


	4. Natural Blue and Friendly Sharks

Disclaimer:

Swimming past your sight, two blurs dart back and forth, one black chasing the other blue-yellow. She is yelling in playful threats toward the Blue, warning him about what she will do once she caught him. The Blue didn't speak back, wisely keeping out of her outreached fins. Eventually, the Damselfish slowed down in weariness, and finally gave up, drifting onto coral and trying to take a breath. The Blue returned to her, barely out of breath, a smirk on his face.

"I give up," Dot mutters. She isn't definitely built for speed.

"Sorry that I'm too fast for you, Dot," JC says, taking a brisk spin around her.

"Yeah, yeah . . ." She peers around, spots you, and raises her eye ridges. "Hey . . . it's the Disclaimer time again!"

"Already?" JC's face then seems to change before her eyes, from the serene look into an unusual grimace of slight disappointment. He tries his best to hide it. "Well, it's your turn, Dot."

She doesn't like the way he looks. She nudges him, now truly concerned. "What's up with that frown on your cute face, man?"

"Nothing."

"Oh?" Dot eyes him for a moment, then understanding dawns in her golden eyes. "Oh! Isn't that because this chapter introduces _Dory_? You want to introduce her instead of me? Awww . . . !" She claps her fins in excitement.

The disappointment changes back into mild annoyance as JC watches his friend leaping in merriness. "Why are you implying that since she and I are same species, we would make a cute couple? I doubt I can spark up a conversation with her."

She stares at him like it is obvious. "She's a cutie, perfect for you, cutie!"

JC looks like he wants to argue, and then a tricky thought comes to his mind. He then smirks dangerously, a perfect imitation of Bruce's 'Hello' grin. "Oh, yeah? Well, if my knowledge isn't mistaken, in some human cultures, humans do mate with their cousins. If it's true in fish cultures, Damselfishes and Clownfishes are cousins, so you, a Damselfish, would mate a Clownfish." The Damselfish fixes an incredulous gaze at him. "How do you like those sea apples, _Mrs. Marlin_?"

_" . . . __Vous__ pensez que vous êtes ainsi - !"_ Dot bites her words and bitterly frowns, crossing her fins. "I hate it when you ruin all the happiness."

"I know." 

She then smiles. "Marlin is a cutie, although . . ."

The Blue covers his face in tolerated agony. "Just . . . finish the disclaimer, Dot, please."

"_Monsieur Jalousie_," Dot grins, wagging her tail at the confused JC and faces you, now frowning with displeasure. "Now, as you already know, Debbie doesn't own 'Finding Nemo'. Nothing of it. Okay?" She then hisses to JC, "Sometimes, I swear that the readers have the same short-term memory loss Dory has." 

JC watches her departing, and then turns to meet your gaze. A defensive expression comes past his face. "What? Don't look at me, humans. I'm only a Muse. Um, go ahead and read. Please? I'm just leaving . . . " Sweatdropping, he hurries out of your sight.

Chapter Two: Natural Blue and Friendly Sharks

But he wasn't gonna give up! Not this time! He'd admitted to himself that his mistake of picking a home caused him to lose his Coral, but he wasn't going to give up like that on Nemo. He can't. Not when he heard those distressful words from his own son - _'I hate you'. _He was determined to find the reason of the words, why, all of a sudden, Nemo would hate him. He wanted to know, and he wanted to find Nemo and eased this trouble between them.

Marlin dove back into the water, looking around. There must be something that he could find that might aid him finding the boat - There! A large school glided silently on a current. One of those fishes must've seen the boat! He hurried toward it, pleading, "Have anybody seen a boat?" When no one paid him any attention, Marlin grew distressed. Why can't they understand? Why can't they just give him a bit of aid? That's all he asked! "Please! A white boat! They took my son!" Again and again, they shoved him out of the way and swam on. He became frustrated, keeping on asking for help, getting nothing. Why didn't they listen? He began to feel lost and upset, not knowing what to do. The only way that he could find the boat again was to find someone who have seen the boat and showed him the way. That's all! And those fishes won't listen! What can he do?

"Look out!"

Startled, Marlin whirled at the distant voice. He couldn't see anything at this moment but an alarmed face with bright blue scales crashing right into him. Aching pain burst in his body and the force sent him tumbling onto the sand bed. The pain mingled into his despair, drying his throat and pushing out heavy sobs. This was hopeless. No one will help and - and - and - oh! What will he do? The manic, worried thoughts kept him occupied, muttering, and he barely heard the same voice that crashed into him trying to soothe him. 

"There, there. It's alright. It'll be Ok."

Marlin's determination broke through and he shook his head. "No, it's not okay." He recalled the frightened face of his son and he can't let him down. "They took my son. I have to find the boat!"

He could've darted off if the voice behind him didn't said, "A boat? Hey, I've seen a boat!"

Marlin's eyes widened and he turned to it, questioning, "You have?" He finally took notice of the voice of the fish. He recognized her as one of the Regal Blue Tangs. Clearly, she was the one who bumped into him. Her black-marked bright blue scales were luminous, and her tail and side fins were bright yellow. Her body was twice as big as his, but instead of his round shape, she was flat and narrow, perfectly built for speed. Marlin tensed a bit, knowing that Regal Blue Tangs were known to be aggressive, not afraid to swim in open waters despite their bright coloring, because they had stingers inside their tails, enough to paralyze a fish twice their size. 

But this young Regal Blue seemed to be friendly enough, beaming merrily, her scarlet eyes sparkling. 

She was nodding at Marlin's question. "It passed by not too long time ago."

"A white one?"

She then held up her right fin. "Hi, I'm Dory."

He ignored the greeting, persuading, "Where? Which way?" He didn't mean to be rude, but each minute waiting increased the distance between him and Nemo. He can't afford listening to needless chattering.

Dory glanced at where he assumed she's seen the boat. "It went this way. It went this way." She then beckoned him. "C'mon, follow me!"

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!" Marlin's despair finally broke down by the new hope. Finally, someone was helping him out! Sooner or later, he will find his son! As she led him between the coral and the empty sand bed, Marlin noticed the surroundings at last and became troubled. It was oddly empty, even for a busy current. The waters seemed darker than before, and he only hoped that it was because of the coming twilight. He hoped the dimness was enough to cover his coloring, but he then thought he could be okay. Even though it was empty, there was no hint of a possible ambush. It was too open to allow that. Besides, Dory didn't look troubled of the emptiness at all. Ok, he should be fine . . .

Marlin looked back to Dory, who was swimming in front. He was surprised to see that she was now swimming casually, even musing, instead of the straightforward swim. Slowing down, Dory began to sway in a relaxing motion, smiling and humming to herself. He confusedly watched in a moment, then again was surprised when she merely glanced at him and quickly swam forward. Like she was seeing him for the first time. Huh? What was going on with her? Suddenly, she darted off to her right.

He paused, and then chased after her, thinking that she might have noticed the boat turning into a different direction. But . . . he doubted that because she wasn't acting like she was really leading him. It was like . . .  like she was trying to lose him! She sped through coral holes, hid behind beds, and stopping on a speck and sharply turning another way. Marlin would've chose to stop there and let her swim off if she was offended, but he's lost his son and he wasn't giving up right now just because of this crazy female trying to escape. If this Blue did say she did see the boat and know where it went, he will stay on her tail, wherever she will like it or not!

Abruptly, Dory wheeled around at him and sharply said, "Will you quit it?"

Marlin froze in surprise. "What?"

Her friendly expression was changed into a defensive, displeased visage, her dorsal fin and tail bristling in threat. "I'm trying to swim here. Ocean not big enough for you?" She sure acted tough that almost alarmed the small Clownfish, circling him.  "You have a problem, buddy?"

"Wait a minute . . ." He didn't mean to get on her bad side.

"Stop following me, okay?"

_ . . . Stop following you?_ "But you were showing me where the boat went," he timidly said.

The tough frown abruptly changed back into the bright gaze. "A boat? Hey, I've seen a boat!" She thought for a moment, and then looked toward the same direction they were going. "It passed by not too long ago. It went this way. It went this way. Follow me."

The Clownfish was speechless. Wait . . . those were the _exact _words she said just several minutes ago! He sped forward and stopped her. His frustration caused the Blue to cower in bafflement as he said, "You already showed me where the boat was going!"

"I did . . . ?" Dory murmured, and then awkward realization dawned. "Oh, no . . ."

"If it's your idea of a prank, it's not funny," Marlin fumed. "And I know funny! I'm a Clownfish."

She looked sincerely apologetic as she admitted, "No, it's not. I know it's not. I'm sorry." She then smiled a bit uncomfortably. "You see, I suffer from short-term memory loss."

He gawked at her honest face. "Short-term memory loss." At her nod, he snorted and turned fin. "I don't believe this." _How ridiculous! Short-term memory loss? Oh, yeah? The next thing, a shark will tell him that he's given up on eating fish. Psh, yeah, right!_

"No, no, it's true." Dory halted him from swimming off. "I forget things almost instantly. It runs in my family . . . " The grin faded and she lightly tapped her fins together in mild confusion. "A-at least, I think it does." Marlin grimaced as she attempted to remember. It was like watching a rock trying to move. "Hmm, where are they?" For long moments, she tried to recall anything, then he could see the remembrance draining away so fast that not even she noticed it. She seemed to see him, once again for the first time, and beamed helpfully. "Can I help you?"

_Poor kid.__ This is sad._ "Something's wrong with you. Really," Marlin mused. He wasn't happy about the turn of events. He followed this forgetful - correction - _extremely _forgetful fish for awhile and he might've lost the path of the boat. He couldn't even remember which direction it went. And now thanks to her, he lost all sense of direction in these open, dark waters. He stated that to her. "You're wasting my time. I have to find my son." Just then, as he began to swim off, he was stopped by one of the most fearful predators.

A Great White Shark.

He was grinning. 

Slowly. 

Six rows of lethal-sharp fangs sparkled in the dimness. 

"Hello," the Shark cheerfully said.

The grin was truly unforgettable. You would always remember it, especially at three o' clock in the morning, just before you wake screaming in mortal terror.

It _wasn't _his lucky day. First, he lost his son, misled by an absent Blue and . . . and now a Shark was saying hello in a cheerful expression that was even more disturbing. He didn't move, too scared to escape from the hypnotizing fangs. The Shark was gigantic, but can be speedy when he had to. He can catch a Clownfish, no problem, and there was no safety around here for Marlin. He was vulnerable.

"Well, hi!" Dory greeted back, swimming to his side.

The Great White held out his large fin to the small fishes. "Name's Bruce."

Marlin cowered, startled at the sudden movements, as Dory backed up, looking a bit uncertain if she should shake fins with a Shark.

The Shark, Bruce, quickly drifted backward, bowing his head. "That's alright. I understand. Why trust a shark, right?" He merely turned fin and glided for a few feet, then . . . Marlin couldn't see him moving. First, he remembered he saw the Shark's tail in front, stating that he was leaving, then a wall of hundreds of fangs appeared before his eyes. 

Whiteness wickedly winked at him. 

Marlin darted to hide behind Dory, too scared to recall that he was endangering her life by doing that. She was surprised, too, but not frightened, mildly floating, as Bruce then gave out a bellyful of laughter. He sounded kinda nice and gleeful, not frightening or looming. Even his eyes weren't all black, which was usual for all the sharks. Instead, his eyes were all white with black pupils, showing awareness, not the hungry insanity that the sharks had. He floated down to lay on his stomach on the sand bed and gazed at the fishes with eager black eyes. "So . . . What's a couple of bites like you doing out so late, eh?" 

Still grinning! Goodness, what big teeth . . .

"We're not doing anything," Marlin muttered, peeking out from behind Dory. "We're not even out."

"Greeeeat! How would you morsels like to come to a little get-together I'm having?"

"You mean, like a party?" Dory's eyes brightened.

"Yeah, right, a party." Bruce chuckled heartily. "What do you say?"

"Oh, I love parties!" She grinned to Marlin. "That sounds fun!"

Marlin gingerly inched back. A party with a shark? A dinner party, more likely, with him and the Blue as the appetizers. He didn't favor that. He mumbled nervously, hoping that the Shark got the hint, "Parties are fun and it's tempting, but - "       

The Great White held him back with his fin. "Oh, come on, I _insist_." 

He then swam off to somewhere that Marlin was sure that might be dangerous or dark or even occupied with hungry Sharks. Marlin tried not to think too much on that. He had to watch his whereabouts so he could find a way to quietly leave without the Shark noticing. He knew how to leave, but he then was worried about Dory. He was a bit tempted to leave her behind, but it was absurd for him to do that when the Blue was forgetful and was already making friends with the Shark. He already felt paternal protection over her, and he was concerned at how he could convince her to leave before she forgets anything.

He noticed the waters were getting darker and it wasn't because of the twilight. Marlin again shivered at the eerie sight of a sunken Submarine in the middle of a field. He heard about this place from his friends and parents. There was a terrible fight between Divers that swam inside these odd-looking structures, which were called Submarines. One of the Submarines sunk due to a hole it received from an explosion. No one had lived there anymore because the sunken machine destroyed a part of the Reef, making it nearly impossible to survive except for plankton. But he didn't recognize those weird orbs that floated in the waters, held down by chains into the sand bed.

The sight of the Submarine and the orbs weren't exactly cheerful. There was no sound except the quiet whispers of the currents and the flapping of the Shark's fins. The dimness darkened everything, even Dory's blue scales. It was so quiet, so silent. Marlin felt the tense shivers coming up his spine again.

Dory appeared untroubled about it, instead looking excitedly at the orbs. "Hey, look, balloons. It's a party."

Bruce laughed. "Mind your distance, though. Those balloons can be dodgy. You wouldn't want one of them to pop." As he slowed down at the Submarine, he then called, "Anchor! Chum!"

_Oh, no . . . more Sharks?_

Marlin peered down to the gigantic hole that was big enough to fit Bruce as he swam closer. Sure enough, there were two Sharks circling each other and glancing up. One was a Hammerhead, his eyes sharp and impatient. His scales were much darker grey than Bruce, almost invisible in the dark waters. Beside him, a Mako was fidgeting as if he was frustrated with something. Although he was small for a Mako, his wild eyes and sly grin were enough to reveal his toughness. There was even a fishing hook in his nose!

"There you are, Bruce," the Hammerhead said, rolling his eyes. "Finally!"

"We got company," Bruce cheerfully said, not noticing the impatience.

"It's about time, mate," the Hammerhead muttered, trying to hold down the restless Mako. Oh, look at his fangs!

"We've already through the snacks and I'm still starving," the Mako snapped. Marlin blinked at the countless fangs.

"We almost had a feeding frenzy."

"C'mon, let's use get this over with."

_Fangs!_ Marlin slapped his fins over his eyes, waiting for the fangs to chomp on him. 

A bell rang.

Marlin peered through and was surprised to see Bruce drifting behind some kind of podium and the other Sharks waiting before him, looking expectant. Looking around, he found himself and Dory resting comfortably between the Sharks. He was perplexed. What was going on here?

"Right, then," Bruce was saying and he sounded official. "The meeting has officially come to order. Let us all say the pledge." All the Sharks raised their right fin and . . . appeared to say the pledge, apparently. Bruce was elated, and the Hammerhead, Anchor, sounded more enthusiastic than Chum, the Mako.

_            'I'm a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. _

_            'If I'm to change this image, I must first change myself. _

_            'Fishes are friends, not food.'_

The Clownfish resisted an urge to laugh in disbelief. Vegetarian Sharks? It would be a day!

"Except stinkin' dolphins!" Anchor protested.

"Dolphins, oh, yeah," Chum agreed. "They think they are cute." He then went into the typical dolphin position - dancing on his tail. His voice rose shrilly in pitch as he mocked, "'Look at me, I'm a flippin' dolphin. Let me flip for you, ain't I something?'" Anchor snickered with amusing disdain as Dory laughed delightfully.

"Alright," Bruce said, stopping Chum's show. "Today's meeting is Step Five. Bring a Fish Friend." He looked hopefully to the Sharks. "Do you all have your friends?"

"Got mine," Anchor answered with pride. He raised a fin and Marlin regarded a fish smaller than him, all green and eyes, whimpering and shivering even more violently than the Clownfish. Marlin felt sorry for him.

"Hey, there!" Dory waved.

"How 'bout you, Chum?" Bruce asked.

Chum seemed to hesitate, glancing around his body and finding no other fish. "Oh, um, I . . . seem to have misplaced my . . . friend." 

Marlin gasped at the sudden appearance of a fish skeleton popping out from Chum's mouth. Guiltily, Chum then sucked the bones in before anybody else noticed. Marlin didn't feel safe at all. Especially around that Mako.

"That's alright, Chum," Bruce understood. "I had a feeling that this would be a difficult step. You can help yourself to one of my friends."

"Thanks, mate." Chum placed his fin around Marlin and patted him affectionately. "A little chum for Chum, eh?"

_Eh,_ Marlin thought.

"Alright, I will start the testimonies," Bruce began. "Hello. My name is Bruce."

"Hello, Bruce," the Sharks responded in unison.

"It's been three weeks since my last fish, on my honor or may I be chopped and made into soup."

The Sharks and Dory clapped, impressed. "You're an inspiration!" Chum stated.

Marlin gazed around worriedly underneath the Mako's fin. He couldn't see any other escape but the hole in which Bruce had escorted the fishes. He could be very happy to leave right away, like the green, scared fish that just departed with a hurry that envied Marlin. None of the Sharks noticed it leaving. He knew that he can't leave right now, not when the Sharks could see him doing that. He wouldn't like to offend the Sharks, but . . . he needed to find his son. The longer he stayed, the farther he got from his son. Maybe the Sharks would understand that and let him go . . .

"Alright, who's next?" Bruce questioned the audience.

"Oh, pick me, pick me," said the voice of Dory, waving her fin in excitement.

"Yes, the little Sheila over there," Bruce chuckled. "Come over here."

As Dory swam up to the podium, Marlin watched her with mixed concern and distress. _Oh, Dory . . . I can't leave her right here with the Sharks. I can't let them eat her after the meeting, no matter how friendly and devoted they are to this _'fishes are friends, not food' _motto._

"Hi! I'm Dory!" she voiced modestly.

"Hello, Dory," the Sharks again said in unison.

"And, um . . ." She paused, simpering in bewilderment. "I don't think I've eaten a fish before."

The Sharks stared at her in surprise, didn't realize that a fish would say that. Chum, thinking quickly, clapped. "That's incredible!"

"Good on you, mate," Bruce agreed.

Dory wiped her forehead. "Whew, I'm glad I got that off my chest."

"Alright, who's next?" Marlin tried not to catch Bruce's eye, but the Great White then grinned at him. "How about you, mate? What's your problem?"

Marlin darted out from under Chum's fin, but stopped there. "Me?" He felt a bit undignified at that. "I don't have a problem."

"Oh, ok . . ." Bruce shrugged as Chum and Anchor shook their heads at each other. Suddenly, the trio said one word in perfect unison:

"Denial!"

Bruce gave the Clownfish a little shove, sending him tumbling up to the podium. "Just tell your name."

He trembled, but tried to calm down. After all, the Sharks did seem friendly enough not to eat him, and they weren't trying to hint that they were hungry. Maybe if he would get on their good side, the Sharks would let him go right away once they heard about his lost son. Hopefully, they would understand. Taking a nervous breath, Marlin waved hello. "Ok, uh, hello. My name is Marlin. I'm a Clownfish."

At the name, the Sharks seemed to brighten up. Chum was even grinning like a young pup. "A Clownfish, really?"

"Tell us a joke," Bruce was eager to hear as the gang inched closer.

"I love jokes!" the Mako added.

Okay, there were three sharks in front of him, grinning, showing rows and rows of fangs, and they asked him for a joke. Marlin wouldn't let them down. He chuckled worriedly and gulped. "I actually do know one that's pretty good. There was this mollusk and he walks up to a sea cucumber. Normally, they don't talk, sea cucumbers, but in a joke, everybody talks . . . " He tried to ignore that the Sharks' interested expressions were slackening a bit. Only Dory showed full attention, hanging on each word with interest. "So the mollusk says to the cucumber . . . "

He halted there, had glanced upward. Something familiar had caught his attention. It was hard to see in the dimness, but it was there. The mask wore by one of the Divers. It was hanging up there, held up by a strap on a broken pipe. An image came in his mind - A diver catching his son in a net. His son calling out for him.

"Nemo!" Marlin gasped, darting toward the mask. He can't believe it! There was something that could help him find his son!

Below, the Sharks quietly watched him in distraction as Chum laughed at the half-formed joke. "Nemo! Hahah! Nemo . . . ! I don't get it."

Bruce whispered out from the corners of his lips, "For a Clownfish, he's not that funny."

Marlin overheard them and said, "No, no, he's my son. He was taken by divers."

"Oh, my, you poor fish, " Dory said, following him.

Chum snorted and mumbled, "Humans, think they own everything."

"Probably American," Anchor agreed.

"Now, now, " Bruce defended to the Sharks, "There's a father - looking for his son."

Marlin finally approached the mask. It was larger than him and Dory combined. He searched for any clue of Nemo's whereabouts, but he only found strange markings on the green strap. "What do those markings mean?" He then heard weeping from Bruce who was remorseful that he's never known his father. He tried to ignore the friendly hugs the other Sharks gave. He never thought he could see a Shark hugging. Staring hard at the markings, Marlin then realized that the markings had to be some written language of the Divers. Unfortunately, he didn't know how to read it. "I can't read human," he told Dory.

Dory dove under the mask and caught the strap upon her back. "Then we gotta find a fish who can read. Oh, look, sharks!"                        

"No, Dory!" Marlin tried to stop her from asking the Sharks for literacy by grabbing on the mask. He only meant to stop her and make her listen. He didn't mean to yank it hard to upset her.

"Hey, that's mine!" she said, holding on the mask, pulling it into a tug-of-war. "Give it back!"

Marlin frowned at that and tried to pull it harder, but the strap slid out from his hold. The strap snapped back into Dory's face. He heard something creaking and a startled yell from Dory. She covered her nose, whimpering in pain. "Oh, I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

Dory rubbed her tender nose. "You really clocked me there. Am I bleeding?"

Marlin could see a faint trickle of blood drifting from her nose. He didn't pay attention to it, instead calming the Blue and checking her nose. What he didn't see was that Bruce was right behind them, has been watching everything. He asked in concern, "Dory, are you o . . ." The blood trickled into Bruce's nostril. Smelling the familiar rust taste, Bruce involuntarily sniffed it all. Great bliss surged into him and something snapped in his brain. The instant of hunting, eating, and tasting blood filled his head, filling him with strength and almost endless hunger. His aware eyes shifted back into the insane blackness, piercing and shiny. "Ooooo . . . that's _good _. . . "

Chum and Anchor, watching the change, tensed all of a sudden. They turned to each other and screamed, "INTERVENTION!" 

Startled, Marlin and Dory looked up as the Sharks leaped to grab on Bruce's fins and pushed him back on the wall. Bruce was baring his fangs in hunger, struggling in the hold.

"Just a bite!" he begged.

"Hold yourself together!" Anchor growled, fighting the urge to slap his friend in the face. 

Chum was more anxious. "Remember, mate, fishes are friends, not food!"

_"Food!"_Bruce lunged, breaking the hold, heading for Dory. She froze in bewilderment, but Marlin quickly yanked her down just in time. Bruce got a mouthful of water, then tumbled into the wall. In the confusion, Marlin and Dory took the mask, using their bodies to carry it and ducking down through a screen. The tunnel was dark and cold to the eyes, but Marlin was more worried about the Great White who had a change of heart. He knew that the Sharks were fooling the fishes around. They were trying to eat them! 

Behind them, Bruce bumped the screen off and laughed manically. "I'm having fish tonight!"

"Remember the steps, mate!" Chum distantly shouted as Bruce chased after the fishes.

The Clownfish's and Regal Blue's swiftness was enough to keep them a fin ahead of the Great White, but the mask was slowing them down with its mass. Marlin would choose to leave the mask behind, but these strange human markings could be the only clue to Nemo's whereabouts. He just can't give up that quick! He glanced back and his heart jumped to see Bruce getting close in an alarming rate. They will never get out fast enough to escape Bruce. He was too fast! The fishes pushed on and there was a partly opened door ahead, in which they darted inside. The force of his speed caused Bruce to crash onto the door, shutting and locking it. Safe!        

But Marlin was freaking; there was no way out from this room. All he saw was a ladder leading up and some kind of wheel. "There's no other way out!" he said, leaving Dory carrying the mask. "There's got to be a way to escape!"

Powerful strikes shook the door as Bruce rammed it with his nose. Dory swam over to the door and questioned, "Who's it?"

"Dory, help me find a way out!"

"Sorry, come back later. We're trying to escape."

A bolt popped out from the hinges.

Marlin knew that any minute, Bruce will break through the door and catch them. "There's gotta be a way out!"

He gazed up at Dory's voice, "Here's something!" She was at the wheel, peering at markings that looked much like the markings on the mask. She read them, "Es-cap-e. I wonder what that means. Funny, it spells just like _'escape'_."

The Clownfish grabbed on her and dragged her up out of the room. Below, he then heard the door popping open and the maddened laugh of the Great White.

"Heeeeeereeee's Brucey!"

When they were free from the Submarine, Marlin didn't hurry off for safety. Something about Dory had surprised him, something that both of them haven't noticed. He pulled on the mask to slow Dory and looked at her with disbelief. "Wait a minute. You can read?!"

"I can read?" Dory repeated, puzzled, then grinned. "Yes, I can read!"

"Well, then, here, read it!"

But before Dory could read one word, Bruce was free from the Submarine, too. His head plunged out from the hole, his mouth opened. He narrowly missed the fishes by a couple of inches. One of his fangs caught on the mask, dropped by the fishes. The fishes had to turn fin and dash forward to avoid more snapping of those fangs. Bruce, not noticing the mask hanging in his mouth, manically chased after.

Meanwhile, Anchor and Chum weren't far behind, already trying to get out from the hole, and that was a bit difficult because they were stuck altogether.

"He didn't really mean that. He never really knew his father," Anchor was saying.

"Don't fall off the wagon!" added Chum.

Bruce hunted after the fishes, but cleverly, as they neared the front of the Submarine, Marlin made a sharp turn and headed downward. Bruce missed and tumbled for a moment in confusion. Dory kept on Marlin's tail, following him into a small tube on the Submarine's side. They were blocked! A torpedo stood in place, and it was held back by a single bolt.

The fishes looked around in alarm as Bruce began ramming the tube. Again and again, his sparkling fangs were seen, darkening the tube and shaking the torpedo. Marlin watched the fangs, seeing the mask still inside Bruce's mouth. How could he get that mask without having the Great White driving his fangs upon him? He didn't see Dory eying the bolt with interest, starting to have an idea.

Meanwhile, the other Sharks were trying to calm Bruce's obsession and reassuring the fishes' anxiety.

"Sorry about Bruce, mate," Chum said, grinning awkwardly.

"He's really a good guy," Anchor agreed.

Marlin wanted to growl back that he wouldn't like to believe the Sharks' words, but he was too concerned about that mask and his escape. Finding his son was the only important thing right now. "I have to get that mask!" he said to Dory.

Dory's eyes seemed to brighten in understanding. "You want that mask? Okay!" With a quick push of her fin, she removed the bolt.

"Nonononono!" The torpedo, now loosened, began to slide out from the tube with the fishes stuck in the way. Marlin gasped as the fangs got closer and closer . . . Bruce opened his mouth just in time for the torpedo to shove right in. Bruce bit on the torpedo, but got stuck there, couldn't open wider, couldn't shake the torpedo free from the tube. Marlin, seeing that he and Dory were still safe, grabbed on the mask and swam back into the tube with the Blue.

Finally, the torpedo was free and Bruce angrily spitted it out. As he eyed the tube hungrily, Chum and Anchor stopped and, with agitation, watched as the torpedo slowly floated down toward one of the mines.

Chum gulped and shakily said, "Bruce?"

"What?" Bruce snarled, noticed the anxiety on his friends' faces, and turned around to see the torpedo's nose inching closer to a mine. He recovered and screamed, "Swim away! Swim away!" Together, the trio darted out of sight, already knowing what would happen if one of the mines was provoked.

The fishes peeked out at the silence and the emptiness. "Aw, is the party over?" Dory pouted.

_Dink._

Flashes of fiery orange, dark red, and bright yellow. Waves of heat. The force that shook the very ocean, the Submarine, everything.

Above, two white Pelicans were floating on the surface, minding their business. A bubble erupted just under a Pelican and he looked at it with surprise. The second Pelican made a disgusted face and muttered, "Nice," before he flew off.

A/O:

Dory! *laughs* Ellen DeGeneres did her job beautifully voicing the cute Regal Blue Tang. I immediately fell in love with Dory, her honesty, her optimism, even her short-term memory loss. I thought it was implausible for a person to have that serious problem, but then, the Pixar dudes can do anything they want. Dory is not complete without her flaw. That flaw is what makes Dory Dory. :)

The sharks are also my favorites. Come on! Vegetarian sharks! Anything *is* possible! Even the line 'Fishes are friends, not food' is my favorite quote out of all. It's a classic. I don't mind to be a member of Fishes Anonymous. Bruce, count me in! FYI, I don't even like to eat fishes.

The sentence _'The grin was truly unforgettable. You would always remember it, especially at three o' clock in the morning, just before you wake screaming in mortal terror.' _was actually a suggestion from Ivan Alias, in which he recommended it to be included in the novalization. After reading it, I got the chuckles, but then I agreed with him: The line is too good to pass. Good thing I checked the reviews before I posted the Chapter Two. :) Ivan Alias, I'm too nice a gal and wouldn't keep you in my debt. Just know that you have a shining moment of your own, as well. :)


	5. The Tank Gang

Disclaimer:

After the tension of watching the 'Golden Globe Awards Show' and awaiting the best comedy movie's winner, chaos begins. Dot rants.

"It's an outrage! I mean, how one of the brilliant movies of the year could lose to a cheap movie which is filmed about Japan?!"

JC is sitting on the sand bed, resting his head against his fin, patiently watching his companion darting forth and back, her eyes ablaze. She can take things too seriously, sometimes. "Yeah." It is his only answer for this moment.

Dot's lower lip quivers in wretchedness. "Our movie is beautifully animated, demonstrating wonderful themes of love, friendship, and trust, cleverly displayed with well-timed comedy. And - and . . . that piece of film . . ."

"Uh-uh," JC warns with a wave of his fin. "Easy. You can't personally criticize _'Lost In Translation' _yet. You haven't seen it."

The Damselfish pouts and sniffles. "It's not fair."

The Blue swims up to her and pats her back. "It's alright, Dot. We can't always win. No matter who wins the award, to the FN fans, _'Finding Nemo' _is the winner."

Dot sighs, disappointed with the results of the winner. Then an idea forms in her head, and she smiles. "Hey . . . we can award it with our personal award!"

"How?"

"With this!" Dot swims out the screen, and finally carries a life-size Golden Globe stature. Don't ask me where she gets it. Maybe she steals it? Probably from Charlize Theron. However, it looks different in coloring. Instead of the glimmering gold, it's painted with some kind of silver coat. "See? I call it a Silver Pearl Award!"

The Regal Blue Tang's two responses are an amazed gaze and a whispered "Wow".

"Impressive, huh?"

"Yes, very." JC then crosses his fins in curiosity. "So . . . how will you send this to Andrew Stanton?" He likes to question her to see if her actions have some credibility. You will have to when you hang around with an imaginative Damselfish that likes to prove her credibility by biting.

"Easy. Snail mail!" Bearing the Silver Pearl Award (copyright) over her shoulder, Dot swims off to find the Tide Office. 

JC is about to follow her, then stops. He turns to you and grins. "Oh, right, the disclaimer. We don't own anything expect ourselves. So. Ciao."

Chapter Three: The Tank Gang

Coolness and cleanness.

These were the first things he experienced as he was dropped in the water. The water was tasting very clean, perhaps too clean to him. The coolness wasn't very comfortable at first, but then he slowly accustomed to the coolness. Opening his eyes, Nemo found himself in a very strange, new world. He was sheltered by a kind of plant that didn't feel real. The large leaves with pinkish lines running across was good enough for him to hide from any possible predator and allowed him to see everything.

"Daddy?" Nemo voiced quietly. He didn't see anything familiar, and he began swimming backward, still baffled at the sudden change of his surroundings. His tail brushed against something, and he looked around in alarm. It was some kind of coral with faces engraved on it. Three faces had huge mouths, contorted into twisted grins. Frightened, Nemo darted away, searching for an anemone to hide in. 

But then . . . he was stopped by an invisible wall. He didn't curiously inspect it. He wanted to find his dad and be safe under his fins. Turning fin, he hurried off. _Tap. Tap. Tap._ Four invisible walls . . . He was in a kind of box? Panting with jitters, Nemo glanced here and there, but those strange things laying just beyond the walls he seen, he didn't have words for them. He did see a couple of Divers there, swimming in the dry water. They didn't look much like the Divers who took him away, didn't have the weird flat eye or the bubbles coming out from their mouths. But their bodies were the same.

"Barbara?"

Nemo whirled around at the male voice. From between the plants, he saw a Diver swimming past another Diver, who was laying on his back on a support. Its - no, his - mouth was open, and the Diver seemed impatient about something. Slowly, the Clownfish swam closer toward the wall - he knew it was there because of his reflection upon it.

"Uh-huh?" answered a feminine voice.

"Prep for his anterior crown, would you, please? And I'm going to need a few more cotton balls."

"Ok."

He didn't understand what was happening to him. First, he was taken away by those Divers and now he was in this strange box with unseen walls and Divers swimming around it. What was going on? Why was he here? Where was his father? He began to feel an ache in his throat and chest and realized that he was missing his father. He now regretted to voice the hateful words to him, his last words before the Divers took him away. Nemo wondered how did his father feel now. Would he search for his son or . . . was he too afraid of the ocean to search? Nemo felt tears coming to his eyes and blinked them in annoyance. No, he will find a way out of here and he will get home. He knew he can.

"Hello, little fella."

Nemo looked up at a new face that appeared unexpectedly beside him. It was so large and weird, with huge blue eyes and grinning white teeth. The Diver looked nothing alike to any fish he'd met and it frightened him. He darted into a hollow barrel and, trembling, peered out.

The Diver was laughing, so loud that it nearly shook the box. "Beauty, isn't he? I found him struggling for life out on the reef and I saved his life." He then stood up and turned to the other Diver. "So, have the Novocaine kicked in yet?"

"I think so. We're ready to go."

As the strange voices faded into the background, Nemo kept on watching the Divers, now curious of the weird creatures that lived out of the ocean, that swam in dry water. He carefully backed out from the barrel. Suddenly, the familiar sound of bubbles startled him from behind and he whirled around to see a small chest, which was spitting out bubbles.

"Bubbles!"

At the new, agitated voice, Nemo again turned. A fish! Here in this glass box! It was a Yellow Tang, a bit bigger than him and much older. His scales were bright yellow whenever light touched them, and there was a fidgety characteristic in him. He was swimming wildly toward him, muttering with such a frenzy in his voice. Nemo swerved to avoid the Yellow, thought that the strange fish wanted to attack him, but to his astonishment, the Yellow seemed trying to grab on the bubbles. The bubbles, of course, floated out his reach, and finally, the Yellow shut the chest. He hugged it tightly for a moment, then glanced to Nemo with wide eyes that shone deep pink. "My bubbles."

Distracted, Nemo hurried upward, not looking where he was going, then he felt a wet, floppy thing landing upon his back. It was surprisingly warm, not cold, as he thought. He looked up and saw a Starfish, one of her arms on him. She was clinging on the wall, causing the illusion of floating in the water on her own. She was pretty in coloring, soft pink and dark orange mixed altogether, and her beady black eyes were gentle as she said, "He likes bubbles."

Even that she seemed nice, the newness of the box, the strangeness of the fishes frightened Nemo. He darted away from her and blindly entered into something that appeared a bit like a Diver's face with bars in front. Inside, it was hollow and small, and he felt that it was a good place for him to hide. Safe from all the strangeness. In the darkness, Nemo peered out through the closed cage with fright. From around the plants, he could see shadows, bigger than him and almost menacing, moving closer and closer. The shadows' voices were muffled, but oddly, they sounded friendly and faintly worried. 

Nemo was too scared. He just wanted his father!

_"Bonjour."___

Nemo screamed at the two eyes that suddenly appeared beside him. He wanted to get out! He wanted to find his dad! He darted out from whatever the eyes were, past the shadows before they could grab on him. Then a gigantic brown fin went in front of him, stopping him. A booming voice laughed, "Slow down, fella. Take it easy. There's nothing to worry about."

Nemo took a good look at the voice's owner and was surprised to see a Blowfish grinning at him. He was plain-looking with his dark umber scales and black spots upon his body. It was also covered with spines, his natural defense, making him dangerously terrifying. But he seemed mellow; his large bronze eyes glinted with richness.

"He's scared to death," added another feminine voice beside the Blowfish. A black-and-white Humbug. She was as small as the Yellow, her pretty scales dark blue-black and pearl-white in stripes. Her azure eyes were bright with genuine concern. 

Nemo looked around and saw the other shadows that were actually fishes. He was astonished that different species were living in the same area. There was the Yellow Tang, now swimming beside a Royal Gamma, both peeking at him with timid curiosity. The Royal Gamma was rubbing his fins nervously, quietly watching with alertness behind his soft mauve eyes. He was the brightest of all the fishes beside Nemo, his small scales rich purple from waist up and golden yellow down to his tail. 

Nemo gazed back to the Humbug and said, "I wanna go home. Do you know where my dad is?"

"Honey, your dad's probably back at the pet store," the Starfish answered him from her place on the wall.

He looked at her with puzzlement. "Pet store?"

The Blowfish nodded, "Yeah, you know, like, I'm from Brad's Fish Mart."

"Pet Palace," the Royal Gamma joined in.

"Fish-o-Rama," the Yellow added.

"Mail order," the Humbug grinned.

"Ebay," the Starfish finished.

Nemo was totally confused. So . . . those fishes weren't really from his ocean at all? They were from those 'pet stores'? He wondered what kind of oceans were those.

He turned to the Royal Gamma, who had his fin placed around him, smiling. "So, which one is it?"

"I'm from the ocean . . ."

"Ah, the ocean . . . the ocean?!" The Gamma panicked, jerking his fin away. "He hasn't been decontaminated! Jacques!"

Two eyes peered out from the helmet - the same upside-down ones Nemo saw - and a teeny tiny voice chimed out, "_Oui?_"

"Clean him!"

"_Oui._" Nemo saw that it was really a Cleaner Shrimp. He was as small as Nemo, colored dark red and white, along with whiskers that were twice as long as him. He was quiet as he swam straight for Nemo and landed on his back.

"Ocean," the Gamma pointed.

Jacques's eyes glinted with delight as he crooned, "_Oh, la mer. Bon._"          

Nemo tensed up, wondering what will the Shrimp do to him, then, suddenly, he went into a rapid spin that dizzied him. He felt the tiny sucking mouth cleaning his scales. In the result of the cleaning, his scales began glowing brighter. The Shrimp halted him in the spin, upside-down. "Voila. He's clean." Nemo moved into the correct position and watched as Jacques swam for the helmet, turned, and blew him a smack before he shut the cage.

"Wow, the big blue," Nemo heard the Yellow said with glee, then he was serious. "What's it like?"

"Big and . . . blue?"

"I knew it."

The Humbug made a amused chuckle and spoke to Nemo, "If there's anything you need, just ask your auntie Deb, that's me." She then held on his fin and led him to one of the walls. "Or if I'm not around, you can talk to my sister, Flo." Nemo didn't see any other Humbug, then realized that Deb was talking about her reflection on the wall. She waved, grinning. "Hi, how have you been?" She then whispered to Nemo, "Don't listen to anything my sister says. She's nuts!" She ended with a giddily laugh.

The Starfish had her face on the wall and was saying something, but it was muffled.

"Can't hear you, Peach," the Blowfish grinned.

Peach twisted from the wall and repeated, "I say we got a live one."

Nemo stayed where he was, watching the fishes getting all excited and floated up to Peach. He was still worried about himself being stuck in the box, but the fishes seemed undisturbed about it. Most of them looked happy and contented around each other, and he was astonished about it. He never knew that so many species, one of their kind, can live with other species in one place without getting touchy to each other. The fishes were obviously good friends. They were now watching the two Divers with excitement. 

He was then confused; what was so excited about one Diver having his hand inside the other's mouth?

"What do we have?" Deb asked Peach.

"A root canal, and from the looks of those X-rays, it's not gonna look pretty."

Nemo jumped as the laying Diver screamed. It was an agonizing, horrible scream. Yet the fishes were watching with new interest.

"Dam and clamp installed?" Bloat questioned.

"Yup," Peach responded.

"What did he use to open it?" Gurgle asked.

"Gator-Glidden drill."

"He seems to favor that lately."

Deb was fuming at her 'sister', trying to peer over the reflection. "I can't see, Flo!"  

The scream rose an octave.

"Now, he's doing the Schilder Technique," the Starfish announced.

Bloat chuckled knowingly. "He's using the Hedstrom file."

The Gamma grunted in disagreement. "That's not the Hedstrom file. That's K-Flex."

An exasperated glance toward him. "It has a teardrop-cross section. _Clearly _a Hedstrom."

"No, no, K-Flex."

"Hedstrom."

"K-Flex!"

"Hed-_strom_!"

Abruptly, the Blowfish bloated up into a perfect sphere of water in his inhale of irritation, startling the nearby friends. Helpless, he began to roll away, muttering, "Here I go. A little help here."

Deb rolled her eyes before she headed for Bloat. "I'll go deflate him."

A moment later, the tank water billowed at Bloat's deflation, gently brushing at the fishes' fins. Gurgle, Bubbles, and Peach unconcernedly returned to watch the Divers. The laying Diver seemed pale, but better without pain. Now he was spitting out water into a small hole, Nemo guessed. A flicker of disgust came across his face, and Gurgle expressed the same.

"Oh, the human mouth is a disgusting place," he shuddered.

Nemo started at a crash from near. He inched closer to the barrel, uncertain, and just then, he caught a glimpse of a feather floating behind the window. A giant Pelican came in view, seeming to try to open the window - and succeeding - and landing on the counter. His black eyes were wide with wonder as he gazed around. He had the look of an awkward gentleman, his brown and white feathers neatly groomed and shiny, although a bit ruffled from his ungraceful landing. There was nothing scary about the Pelican, but Nemo couldn't help but be at guard. He knew that birds who lived by the ocean did eat fishes. He wouldn't be surprised if that Pelican had came to watch the tank fishes with hunger.

The other fishes reacted with no fear, but with friendliness. "Hey, Nigel," Peach was greeting the Pelican as he tried to balance himself.

"What did I miss?" Nigel asked eagerly. "Am I late?"

"Root canal - a doozy."

"Root canal?" the Pelican frowned with thoughtfulness. "What did he use to open?"

"Gator-Glidden drill."

"He's favoring that one. Hope he doesn't get surplus sealer at the portal terminus . . ." His eyes noticed the little Clownfish and formed a wide grin. "Hello. Who's this?"

Nemo flinched timidly under the gaze, but the other fishes quickly surrounded him, perhaps to give him comfort.

"The new guy!" Deb laughed.

"The dentist picked him off from the Reef," Gurgle added.

Nigel's grin widened. "Ah, an outie. From my neck of the woods, eh?" Then his grin softened and Nemo found himself receiving reassurance from the Pelican. "Sorry if I ever snap at you. Fishes gotta swim, birds gotta eat." He added with a friendly wink that tugged a shy smile on the lad's face. 

The gang and the Pelican abruptly looked up at the startled voice of the standing Diver. He looked upset as he stomped over to the window. "No, no! They aren't your fishes. They are my fishes." Nigel squawked in astonishment as the Diver grabbed on his beak and shoved him backward. The Pelican flapped his wings, knocked some things off the counters, before he departed. The Diver shut the window and frowned down with unhappiness at something in his hands.

"Aw, the picture broke." He turned to the other Diver, continuing, "This here is Darla. She's my niece. She's gonna be eight this week."

Around him, Nemo sensed the nervousness and tension from the fishes all of a sudden. They slowly circled around, their eyes locked on the Diver, seeming to wait for something. He tried not to let the tension affect him, but he began to feel an uneasy sensation. Did the fishes know something that he didn't? 

"Hey, little fella," the Diver came to the tank, grinning. At that, the fishes departed with a sudden flick of their tails, like they were scared of him. Nemo didn't move, listening to the merry voice, growing confused by the minute, "Say hello to your new mummy. She's gonna be here Friday to pick you up. You're her present. Shh . . . Don't tell her that." Nemo tried to take a good look at the thing in the hands, but the Diver then stood up.                                                                        

"Well, Mr. Tucker, while that sets up, I'll go see someone about a wallaby." Before he left, he placed the thing in front of the tank.

Nemo slowly swam toward the picture. The glass covering it was broken, either from the Pelican's wings or the Diver's hands, but the picture remained untouched. It was a young Diver girl standing with a creepy grin that shone like metal. Her fiery red hair was tied into two pigtails, and she was holding up something. Nemo was disgruntled to see a Goldfish floating in the bag, but there was something wrong with him. He was floating on his back . . . and the only time that the fishes did float on their back was when they were . . .

"Oh, Darla . . ." 

Nemo looked up at Bloat, who spoke. He had a remorseful look in his eyes, as well as the others who came close. He didn't understand why they look so sad and was frightened at the sudden change of the moods. "What? What's wrong with her?"

"She couldn't stop shaking the bag," Gurgle answered, glancing at him with sorrow.

"Poor Chuckles," Bubbles muttered.

Deb sobbed in her fins. "He was her present last year."

"Hitched a ride to the Porcelain Express," the Blowfish said.

Then the words Peach uttered shocked Nemo. "She's a fish killer." A killer that kills fishes? This little girl? He wondered what that girl would do to him once she got here. The horrible thought didn't stop there, disturbing him - shaking, shaking, his tiny body bounced off the bag, blackness filling his mind . . . 

Nemo shook his head. He couldn't go with her. He needed to find a way out. He needed to find his dad. His voice was shaking with horror that was barely contained. "I can't go with that girl." He turned fin and aimlessly swan for somewhere safe to hide from that girl. "I have to get back to my dad." He knew he couldn't escape from the box, but he wanted to get out! He wanted his father back! He didn't want to leave his side again.

Almost unnoticed, a sucking movement happened around him, and Nemo gasped as he was yanked backward into a tube. The sensation of being swallowed, his head barely out, made him lose his composure and he cried out, "Daddy! Help me!"

The fishes rushed to aid him, but a voice stopped them.

"Nobody touch him."

Nemo slowed down in his struggles, mesmerized by the voice, and looked at where it was. The voice was deep and somewhat mysterious in tone. It also carried the tone of stone. Soon, the voice's owner came in his sight. A Moorish Idol floated beside him, mildly looking at him. Nemo felt a sense of authority from him, so quiet and yet very commanding. Even the fishes backed up in respect. His stripes of yellowish-white and black were magnificent and beautiful, along with the long dorsal fin that swayed like a sea fan. Beautiful and stern altogether.

"C-can you help me?" the lad pleaded.

The Moorish Idol's eyes landed on him and Nemo felt coolness from it, the ruby irises glistening. Then he spoke, "No. You got yourself in there. You can get yourself out."

"Gill . . ." Deb was voicing.

The Moorish Idol glanced at the Humbug briefly. "I want to see him doing it." Then he shared a gentle tone to Nemo. "Calm down. Alternate wiggling your fins and tail."

Nemo felt like crying, but he bit his lip from allowing tears to leave his eyes. Instead, he said, "I can't. I have a bad fin."

Gill gazed at him for a moment, then a faint dry smile came on his lips. "Never stopped me." Then he turned aside so his right side faced Nemo. The Clownfish was surprised to see that the beautiful scales were horribly scarred. Two scars smeared his right side, one running down from the top of his snout to his chest and another across his eyes, deepening as it came to a stop around the joint of his right fin. His fin . . . Nemo's eyes locked on it, amazed. While Gill's left fin was long and elegant, his right fin was nearly destroyed. Black scales tightly surrounded fin bones, severed and torn. Crippled. Like him. The Moorish Idol was crippled.

And yet Gill showed none of remorse, anger nor pride toward his scars. Nemo realized why he did that, showing his fin to him. Gill showed that even though he was crippled physically, he wasn't crippled mentally.

Gill turned toward Nemo, his eyes now showing encouragement. "Just think about what you need to do."

_What I need to do . . . I need to get out. Not cry or yell for Dad. Just get out . . . _Nemo closed his eyes and focused on his efforts to get out. His tail began flapping powerfully while his fins - both his fins - pushed on the smooth glass. He barely heard the voices of encouragement from the fishes. He just wanted to get out and . . . prove to himself that he can do it. All by himself. 

With a last slap of his tail, Nemo was out of the tube. Surprised, he glanced at the tube, surprised that he got himself out on his own, and then he grinned triumphantly at Gill and the fishes. He got himself out!

The Moorish Idol finally smiled lightly. "Perfect."

The fishes thrilled to see Nemo free, circling him, praising. The Moorish Idol stayed back, drifted beside Peach, both watching the group silently. Finally, Peach whispered with interest, "Wow, from the ocean." Her black eyes shifted to Gill. "Just like you."

"Yeah . . ." Gill was eying the Clownfish with intent, a new light coming in his eyes.

Peach chuckled softly, drawing another smile from Gill, a smile that he rarely showed to anybody else except to her, for both have grown close. "I've seen that look before. What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking . . . Tonight, we give the kid a proper reception."

Nemo felt very happy, the first time since he was taken away from his father, the first time since he uttered the hateful words to him. He knew that it would be very difficult for him to leave the box, but he wasn't worried right now. He had new friends, friends who would take care of him. He already felt a bond connecting to each of them. 

Bloat was laughing as he tugged at Nemo's tail, "So, kid, do you have a name or what?"

The Clownfish grinned blithely. "Nemo. I'm Nemo."

A/O:

What a nice introduction of the Tank Gang. I loved the idea of using the tank as a 'mental institution', which is really like one to the fishes, who have to live in the same place everyday, being controlled by those humans. If it doesn't make you insane after a couple of days, I don't know what will. I love every one of them.  

Gurgle is hilarious with his fear of germs, and man, is he a beauty! Two-tone, purple and gold, my school colors! *laughs* Yeah, moving on.

Deb is nothing like me, lemme tell you. ^_~ She's adorable along with her reflective sister.

Bloat strikes me as a Tommy Lee Jones (Men in Black) fish, for some reason I couldn't figure out. :p

Bubbles is the funniest fish ever with his obsession of bubbles. I would watch him all day trying to catch bubbles.

Poor Jacques, not having much screen time in the movie, but I already have a soft spot for him. :)

Peach is very sweet and reminds me of any mother I've met. I can see Nemo bonding to her like a son hungering for a motherly touch.

Nigel . . . *giggles* I don't have much to say about him, except that he is so cool to hang around with fishes that he would choose to eat, but didn't. 

And Gill. Heck, even I like the sternness, the bluntness, the bonding he made with Nemo. I think that Gill does have a heart of gold, somewhere under the soot.


	6. The Abyss

Disclaimer:

"Dot, I've told many times. It's not nice to offend someone, especially strangers."

"It's all about first impressions, man!"

" . . . Well, yes, you quite made an impression."

At this moment, the Muses drift into the screen. They seem to be arguing about something, which is not unusual for them. I like conflicts. Don't you? Anyway . . . The Regal Blue Tang appears weary, his heavy-lidded eyes narrowed in irritation. The Damselfish follows after, looking slightly bored with the silly arguments.

"Honestly, I can't believe you," JC rubs his forehead. "I often wonder how come I got stuck with you."

"You're just lucky," Dot grins, giving him one of her friendly slaps. She then frowns when JC doesn't smile back. "Besides, it's not like you to complain."

The narrowed eyes shift toward her. "You affected me."

She rolls her eyes and gestures a fin upward. "If you're so upset about this, why won't you ask Mademoiselle?"

JC thinks about it, and then nods. "Then that's what I will do."

Dot stays here as JC swims out of the screen. Her face holds amusement, mixed with slight disbelief, when JC pulls in a gigantic gong, rolled on wheels. Don't ask me how and where he keeps the gong. He darts out, then brings in a gong stick. He spits on his fins, rubs them together, and picks up the stick. Dot wisely covers her ears.

GOOOOOONNNNNGGGGGGG!

_laksh;__oiqwhndovilaishrl__ ---!_

As the water steadies after the violent tremble, a voice speaks out from somewhere, seen only in textual because you can't hear me from reading this, right?

_JAMES CLAUDE! Stop it! You know I hate drums!_

JC leans on the stick. "It's a gong."

_Same difference! Now . . . what do you need?_

He jerks a fin over his shoulder to Dot. "I'd like to know a reason why you made me stay with her."

_She's annoying, right?_

"Yes!"

"Hey!"

_She's your partner. Deal with it._

The Blue growls.

_Look, you two wanted to do the disclaimers from the start and you will definitely finish them until the end together. Now, I believe it's time for the disclaimer to start. Don't make the readers wait._

GGGOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGGG!

_akjshdfaiuwoeirtjhlkasd__ -- . . . ._

JC tosses away the stick, unhappy about his misfortunate. Dot swims to him and tugs on his fin to get his attention. "Angry, already?" A bitter glare answers her. "Tell you what. We can get our sweet revenge on her."

He looks at her eager grin, then shakes his head, calming down. "Tempting, but alas, no."

"Why not?"

"She's the Author. She knows everything happening in here. If we manage to trick her, she'd already know, and our revenge wouldn't be that sweet. It's ridiculous and useless to do anything like that while she's writing this."

Dot gives him a blank stare, then groans, holding her head. "My head hurts."

"Not mentioning mine," JC mumbles, again rubbing his forehead.

_Start the disclaimer!_

The Blue bristles and turns to you, his aflame red eyes filling the screen. "Guppies! We do not own 'Finding Nemo'! Pixar does! Now SCRAM!"

"JC, what did you say about being rude to readers . . .?"

"Bite me!"

Dot shrugs, shaking her head, as her friend storms off. "Don't mind him, guppies. He can be sensitive, sometimes."

Chapter Four: The Abyss

"Nemo . . . Nemo . . ."

"Are you going to eat that . . . ?"

Everything was so calm, so quiet in his mind and around him. There was no sense of worry, no sense of danger at all and that soothed him. He would be very content to continue his undisturbed sleep, be peaceful in the calm surroundings, if that annoying spark of misery would just go away. It was faint and distant, but it was there, somewhere in his mind, pulsating with an urgency. It was pushing him from the peaceful sleep toward his consciousness. Very slowly, he became aware of being inside something small and a body near him, feeling heat from it. Then he heard a voice. A sleepy, lightly snoring voice, but a familiar one.

"Careful with that hammer . . ."

His eyelids fluttered, then opened. Drowsily, Marlin regarded the face of a Regal Blue Tang close up, also sleeping. At first, he didn't recognize the face, but the dark freckles on the nose, the absent look even in sleep, were unmistakable. _'Dory?'_ He blinked, puzzled at the sensation of being floated, but he wasn't being floated on his own. He glanced down, and his heart stopped.

Darkness. Some kind of pit was below him, looking so far yet so near, filled with solid darkness. Marlin gasped with fear of being so close to darkness and he hurried out of the platform that he was laying on. He was surprised to see that it was the Diver's mask with Dory still sleeping on one of the lens. The mask was hanging on some metal which was hanging from the Submarine. The Submarine itself was balanced delicately on a slope, its nose dangerously tipped toward the pit. The Submarine . . . Marlin couldn't believe his luck. After all the explosions from the mines and the escape from the Sharks, he was still alive. He and Dory were still alive. 

Now what was he going to do . . . ? Nemo! His son was gone and he needed to find him! Marlin gazed up to the mask's strap. Human markings. He couldn't read human, but Dory can. He needed to get her awake and read it as soon as possible.

"A sea monkey has my money," she was mumbling when Marlin swam back. He shook her, then when she drowsily shooed him away, he became annoyed. He can't delay any longer! He will get this heavy sleeper awake in no time if he can help it! He stopped shaking her and went under the mask, seeing her face through glass. She again mumbled, "Yes, I'm a Natural Blue."

_"Get up!"_

The scarlet eyes popped open and Dory gasped. With amazing speed, she shot upward, the mask still hanging on her back, and she yelled, glaring, "Look out! Sharks eat fishes! Ahh!"

Marlin hastened to calm her before a predator could hear her, then both froze at a new sound. A deep, resounding sound rumbled through the water and through their bodies. Simultaneously, they turned around. The Submarine had been stuck fragilely on the rock, but by Marlin's shakes upon Dory, it lost balance. It slowly slid off the rock. Its nose continued in tipping - toward them. 

The fishes screamed and sped away. They were too frightened to think that they were still in the way, didn't think to escape out the sides. Marlin blindly flapped his tail, the dimness darkening his sight. Dory wasn't blinded by the dimness, but she had the strap covering her eyes, and so thus blinded. Finally, she removed the strap as Marlin sharpened his vision. Both screamed as they screeched into a stop near a blockage of rock in front. The nose came closer in inches and they shut their eyes, waiting for the impact.

Silt burst where the nose rammed into the rock. Surprisingly, the nose stayed there. The Submarine was now safely positioned, no longer a threat. Silt settled and Dory was coughing as Marlin speechlessly stared at the metal inches away from his face. Once again, he couldn't believe his luck to be alive again.

"Whoa, dusty," Dory brushed away silt.

Marlin blinked, then gazed at her. She was alone. No mask was hanging on her back. "The mask! Where is the mask?"

Bubbling sounds attracted their attention and they looked down. Marlin caught a brief glimpse of the mask sinking deeper into the dark pit before it vanished.

"No! Get the mask!" he screamed as he plummeted into the darkness. "Get it! Get it! Get the mask!" Then he halted, realizing that he was in the darkness, feeling coldness biting at his body. He left the darkness back into the warm, lightened waters and grabbed on a perch. There, he panted, now distressed, wondering what he can do to get the mask. But it seemed hopeless. He was too scared to go in the darkness. It wasn't safe.

He then heard cheerful singing as Dory calmly dove into the darkness. Of course, she could not have any fear of the darkness. She was a Regal Blue; she had no fear of the darkness. "_La la la la la!_ It just keeps going on, doesn't it? Echo! Echo!" Then, she was at his side. "Hey, what you doing?"

Marlin closed his eyes with grief. "It's gone. I've lost the mask."

"Did you drop it?"

"_You _dropped it!" he snapped at her, then again gazed down the pit. "That was the only chance of finding my son. Now it's gone."

Dory watched the Clownfish with mild confusion and concern. She didn't understand what was going on here, but she knew that this Clownfish was sad, had lost his son S . .  Shane? Harry? She couldn't recall the name, but she knew that he was sad. He needed some cheering up.

"Hey, Mr. Grumpy Gills . . ." Marlin looked up in silent astonishment as the Blue had her lips puckered up, her eyes wide and shining. Once he noticed her, she then grinned. "When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do?"

Marlin made a disapproving frown. "I don't want to know." He didn't feel like cheering up and he would be darned if he let this foolish fish do that for him.

"_'Just__ keep swimming!'_" She swayed back and forth, singing. She had a nice and pretty voice, he thought, but he kept the frown on. "_'Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, swimming.__ What do we do? We swim.'_"

She circled her fin around his and dragged him down toward the darkness. Marlin's body tightened with fright as he watched the darkness coming closer and closer. He tried to pull his fin out from the singing Blue, but her grip was like stone. He slackened, listening to new verses coming out from her mouth. Somehow, the song filled his head, sticking inside. He tried to remove the cheerful tone from his head. Still there.

"Now, I will never get the song out my head. Now it's in my head."

"Sorry."

He shivered at the iciness around him, feeling it through his scales and bones. It wasn't like the coldness of the night. It was different. It was like the darkness of the pit was never warm at all, cold all the time, so icy and chilly. So cold that he could feel the solidness of it around him. He couldn't see anything at all. Again, it wasn't like the night darkness. It was pitch-black, even blacker than Dory's black markings. He was completely blind.

He was glad to have Dory holding on his fin, feeling something warm, something familiar. He tightened his hold and whispered, "Dory, do you see anything?"

"Aah! Someone's got me."

Marlin didn't let go of his hold, even though she was trying to. He felt her other fin brushing against his and he gently held on it, trying to calm her. "I'm sorry. That's me."

"Who's that?"

He frowned. Had her memory problem been acting up again? "Who could it be? It's me."

A pause, then she questioned, "Are you my conscience?"

He was glad that the darkness hid his irritation. "Yeah, yeah, I'm your conscience. We haven't spoken in a while. How are you doing?"

"Can't complain."

"Yeah? Good. Now, Dory, I want you to tell me - do you see anything?"

"I see . . . I see a light."

"A light?"

"Yeah, over there."

When he couldn't see where she pointed at, he simply searched around until he found the light. It was tiny and pearly in brightness. It was like a lone star floating in the darkness. It was so beautiful that he felt drawn to it.

"Hey, conscience, am I dead?"

"No. I see it, too."

Together, they swan closer to it. The light didn't brighten as they neared, only bathed them with the softness and beauty. "What's it?" Marlin murmured. He never saw such a beautiful light before. It was really like a star, hid inside a globe. He paused to search in his mind for knowledge of what kind of coral that could give off light like that. But . . . the worry eased away from his mind. He felt a weight being lifted from his body, filling him with dizzy pleasure.

"It's so . . . pretty." Dory glanced into the light with wide eyes. The light darkened her scales, but then softened her colors into cobalt and azure. She seemed younger and more innocent.

"I feel . . . happy. Which is a big deal . . . for me," Marlin agreed with her, also staring into the light. It also softened and darkened his scales, making him almost invisible. He didn't care. All he wanted to do was stare into the light forever. 

"I want to touch it . . ."

The light almost shyly leaped out from her outreached fin, began dancing around them. Marlin and Dory laughed with glee as the light continued its beautiful dance, enthralling them. Marlin felt a melody coming out from his throat and he did sing, coaxing the light to get closer and comfort him. During the light's dance, he received the uneasy sensation that he was being watched. It was very faint, and he could ignore it easily, but it was still there, disturbing him.

Laughing, the fishes turned around, then stopped there, stilled.

Fangs.

Long fangs, gracefully curled toward them, the light glinting through. The fishes instinctively froze. 

Fangs meant only one thing.

"Good feeling's gone," Marlin murmured.

The light then brightened into a white flare that hurt his eyes and illuminated everything around him. The light sped from the globe, down a curved shaft, and then revealed a monster. The Monster of the Deep, the Anglerfish.  Its large pearly eyes held nothing but hunger. It was like a machine, light flaring through its body, the once beautiful light now a blinding, unnatural brightness. It opened its fanged mouth and screeched.

The fishes shrieked in response and sped out of its way before it could snap on them. They tried their best to escape, but the darkness frightened them, now knowing that they weren't alone in the darkness. The light from the Anglerfish was the only source that they can see, and they couldn't escape from it, either.  

Marlin grew frustrated, flapping his tail to keep away from the pearl fangs, but still stayed at the circle of the lure light. He couldn't see anything at all in front! The light was behind him and lightly illuminated rocks or grounds that he and Dory had to act quickly to duck before they could get struck. He knew they were stuck, couldn't escape into the darkness in fear of another possible Anglerfish and couldn't leave this Anglerfish for it had the only light source.

Just then, he saw the mask. Hanging on a rock.

"The mask!" Marlin gasped, stopping.                                                       

Dory bumped into him and looked around. "What mask?"

He pulled her down as the flare got close. Luckily, the Anglerfish missed them, swam past. Using the darkness to his advantage, Marlin hid near the rock, kept his eyes on the Anglerfish, who still had its light on. The beam was being moved frantically as the monster tried to find them.

"Ok, I can't see a thing," she muttered in light irritation.

Marlin tensed as the Anglerfish heard her and whirled around. The light spotted the fishes. "Oh, gee."

"Oh, look, a mask," Dory said, her eyes on it. 

"Read it!" Marlin ordered, and then darted off, leading the Anglerfish away from Dory. He needed to do this. He had to. It was the only way that she can use the time to read the mask - and he had to do his best not to get eaten.  He sped around rocks, ducked through holes and turned around, eventually driving the Anglerfish dizzy and mad.

Dory's voice called out, a bit uncertain. "I'm sorry, but if you could just bring it a little closer, I kind of need the light." Just then, the light landed on her and she grinned. "That's great. Just keep it there."

_"Just read it!"_

The Blue puffed, frowning. "Ok, ok. Mr. Bossy."

As she began reading, Marlin let the Anglerfish chase him around tall rocks, but eventually, the monster was clever enough to turn around and halt him in his tracks. It snapped at him, but he ducked down into the safety of a small trench formed by the rocks. Marlin covered his eyes, but then noticed the lure light hanging close. He grabbed on it and aimed it toward Dory.

"Oh, the first line is _'P. Sherman'_," she finished, pointing at the strap with a grin of triumph.

Marlin gazed at her with what was close to panic. "_'P. Sherman' _doesn't make sense!" Then he was yanked out by the Anglerfish, forgot that he was still holding on the light. He couldn't dare to let it go, using the flare in between. He hoped that the flare was enough to blind the Anglerfish, but apparently, it was too mad to allow anything to keep him from being its dinner. It snapped its mouth at him, narrowly missing, but it didn't stop there.

"Don't eat me! Don't eat me!" Marlin pleaded, seeing flashes of the pearl fangs. Finally, the mouth shut around him. Him and its antenna altogether.

"Light, please!" Dory's voice yelled in the sudden darkness.

Even though he was holding tight on the antenna, the Clownfish gave out a shrill scream at the fact that he was _inside _a fish.  He didn't wanted to see what the insides looked like, keeping his eyes closed. The Anglerfish recoiled at the struggles and spat him out, along with its antenna out. After two snaps, Marlin let go and swam quickly as the Anglerfish chomped on its antenna. Obviously, it didn't like the taste of itself.

Marlin ducked behind the rock where Dory was still reading the mask. "The second line is _'42 Wallaby Way'_."

He nodded rapidly, watching the Anglerfish recovering and began its wild approach. "That's great. Speed read. Take a guess." He began to sweat. "No pressure. No problem." The pearl fangs were coming. "There's a lot of pressure. _Pressure!_ Take a guess now with pressure!"

"_'Sydney'_! It's _'Sydney'_!" she finished excitedly.

"Duck!" Marlin yelled as he grabbed on the mask. He pulled it up, feeling the strap stuck on the rock, feeling the elasticity pulling against his tired fins. He could only bear the pull for a moment, and then suddenly, something massive crashed into the mask, knocking Marlin out of his hold. All he saw was white, glaring light, and he sheltered his head, shutting his eyes, waiting for the bite that will end his life.

"I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I died, I'm dead . . ."

When it considered to him that he wasn't dead yet, he carefully opened one eye and jerked out of the way as the Anglerfish gave out a growl. It wasn't a fierce growl nor a hungry growl. It was a surprised growl. Marlin looked up and weakly grinned; his plan worked. The Anglerfish had trapped between the mask and the rock, the mask covering the pearl eyes, trapped it down. The Anglerfish was furiously struggling; despite its struggles, the mask refused to let it go.

Marlin finally laughed out his anxiety. Inspired by Dory's Swimming Song in his mind, he began singing tauntingly, wagging his tail at the Monster. He couldn't believe his luck, indeed! First, the Sharks, the explosions, and now this! He did it all by himself. He was so scared to death, thought he could die of fear, but . . . he was feeling good about it. He even found it hilarious that he, the timid Clownfish from the reef, did face down an Anglerfish! 

His glee faded when he heard Dory joining in his song, completely forgetting about the present danger.

"Dory!" Marlin said, getting her attention. "What did the mask say?"

"_'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney'," _she uttered, then stopped, her eyes widened in cognition. She gasped and hugged Marlin in her excitement, baffling him. "I remembered what it said! Usually, I forget things, but I remembered it!"

He wiggled out her hold and asked, "Wait, wait, where is that?"

"I don't know, but who cares!" She made a small dance. "I remembered!"

The sudden annoyed growl from the Anglerfish startled the fishes and caused them to swim upward for safer waters.

_"'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney'._I remembered it again!"

A/O:                                                                             

Ok, ok. I do admit that the Barracuda did scare me, but man . . . this Anglerfish. I've seen Anglerfishes in pictures, and I thought they were so cool in design, but now in this movie, it convinced me. Kids, do not swim in the dark with an Anglerfish. Look at the fangs! Bloody scary! 

I actually laughed when Marlin got swallowed by the Anglerfish. It was a funny sight, c'mon! :D 

An interesting fact to muse on: Anglerfishes with the lure light are actually females.


	7. Nemo's Initation

Author's Note:

I decide to put aside the usual disclaimer presentation to respond to the reviews. Why? Because it's fun to poke at people's opinions with dry wit. No, really, I'm just kidding. I do appreciate the reviews because they do aid me in my writing skills. Even after nearly eight years of writing, I'm still modest to show off my skills and the comments really help me a lot and show me that I do have some talent. :) 

Unfortunately for me, I'm now bearing a nasty fish bite on my ankle. Believe me, it was horrible. It was also hard to keep my mind on the responses while I have a very bitter Damselfish gumming my ankle at the moment. She's mad at me for not letting her do the disclaimer. Thanks goodness JC has a life-size Gurgle balloon ready to distract her. Dot is finally gone, currently abusing the poor balloon with her hugs. Thanks, JC.

JC: Anytime.

It will take me too long to personally respond to each of the reviews, so I will summarize my feelings as little as I can. As a writer, it's hard not to explain everything I feel. :) It isn't that easy as I thought, but at least, I try. Once again, thank you for your encouraging reviews. I'm astonished that several of you made statements about my Deafness. I didn't know if being Deaf makes any different from being Hearing. I never see Deafness as a handicap because just like her memory loss characterizes Dory, Deafness makes me who I am. I wouldn't be anybody else. If you are curious with how I 'hear' with my eyes, try watching Finding Nemo (or any other movie) without the sound on. (Your choice to turn on the subtitles/captions, too.) Maybe you will see it in a different view. Maybe not. You might see something new that you would've never noticed before. Try it out. What do you have to lose? :)

I'm very glad that I took the chance to novelize _'Finding Nemo'_. I was anxious about doing it because not everybody likes novelizations, especially ones that cheapens the feeling of the actual movie. I worried that my novelization would do that and anger some of the fans. Whew, glad it doesn't. :)  I appreciate all the criticism (two so far). I know about my heavy use of details. I don't know why I tend to use a lot of details. Maybe I want to show everything I see so you can see the same. It comes naturally to me. Using details is one of my best skills, but even writers can overuse their talents. I will watch the rhythm from now on. ;) And with the fang thingy, I did it on purpose. Why? Because I can. :)

 I don't see myself as a romance-loving fan (even though I did write romance fictions *inserts a disgusted emoticon here*). What's wrong with being close friends? :) I have several guy friends that I've grown closer without having the girlfriend/boyfriend love, so that's why I prefer friendship over romance. Don't expect any romance in my fanfictions. And with my interpretation of Gurgle, I couldn't resist saying it. He's really a beauty. I was attracted with his bright colors. That's one of the things I love about him. :) But is it possible for a fish to be effeminate? *blinksblinks*

Yes, Sa-chan, I was a cheerleader in High School, believe it or not. But I was one of the nice species, so no worries. ;) 

And one of the reviewers, Riverwood, suggests that I say hello for her to my Muses, so here are their hellos!

JC: Greetings, people!

Dot:  _Bonjour, humains_!

_Arigato _for all the reviews and I hope you still enjoy the novelization to its end! Now, let's us continue to the next chapter - 

Dot: Wait! You forgot the disclaimer!

Oh, yeah, that's right . . .

Dot: It's just like you, so forgetful. I'm often amazed at how you handle this without having me around to jolt your brain back to the present.

 . . . 

JC: Oh, no, you've hurt her feelings. Now we've got an upset author on our fins! Thanks a lot, Dot.

Dot: Don't be absurd. Authors are always dramatic.

No more watching _'Finding Nemo'_ for you.

Dot: NOOO!! I need my daily dose of Gurgle!

No.

Dot: _Je suis désolé!_

That's better. Start the disclaimer.

Dot: _Oui, maître_. Debbie (Dai-chan) doesn't own _'Finding Nemo'_. I swear by my scales.

And Gurgle.

Dot: *whimpers* Even Gurgle?

Even Gurgle.

Dot: . . . Ok . . . Gurgle owns himself.

Good fish.

Dot: I think I should leave now. _Adieu. _

JC: Females.

Chapter Five: Nemo's Initiation

It was the first night he'd spent without his father sleeping by. 

The tank was nothing like his old home, so cold without feeling, and even though that there were other fishes, so friendly and nice which welcomed Nemo warmly, it wasn't the same. He missed his home intensely. He missed the comfortable tendrils of his anemone, missed the soft orange color that darkened whenever he woke up in the middle of the night and admired them. He missed his school and friends greatly. He missed Mr. Ray's singing, Tad's loud laughter, Pearl's cute whirls of her tentacles, even Sheldon's sneezes. He missed the snug, sunny waters that always bathed his scales with such warmth that felt like a mother's touch.

Most of all, he missed his father. The fatherly grin, the protection he radiated, even all the strict rules he'd set for Nemo's safety . . . he missed them all. He wished to be back in his father's fins, letting him hug back and won't let go. He wished to tell him that he loved him, not hated him. Those wishes were swimming inside his dreams, saddening him, as he slept in his new home - a tiny hut set near a corner. He felt like his adventures were over, nothing to do in the tank, stuck here forever and never see his father again.

The Tank Gang had other ideas.

Silently, Jacques approached the hut, knowing what to do. He peered at the sleeping fish and smiled quietly. "Nemo . . ." he voiced softly, but the lad didn't stir at his voice. The Shrimp chuckled, picked up a pebble, half the size of him, and gently let it bounce off Nemo's body. "Nemo . . ." Again, the lad didn't rouse. "Nemo!" Several throws of more pebbles.

Nemo woke with a start. The Shrimp then smiled at the puzzled visage on the lad. _"Suives-moi."_

He turned around and swam briefly before he noticed that he was alone. The lad was still in the hut, still puzzled. Jacques neared and again spoke, this time in English, "Follow me."

Perplexed, but curious, Nemo followed the Shrimp down a path he'd picked out. Jacques seemed impassive and casual as he marched and Nemo grew more curious. Around him, the leaves, the peddles, and even the walls received a faint hue of red, gave off from the volcano in the center of the tank. Nemo felt that the red hue changed the surroundings somehow, from the cold, bright look of day into the mysterious, looming atmosphere of night. He then noticed that Jacques was leading him toward the volcano. 

Quietly, then rising in loudness, a chanting began around the Tiki heads. Pitches, tones, and melodies rose and dropped, mingled into a simple voice, chanted by three voices. Nemo watched the Tiki heads, thought that they were actually singing. Three of the gang fishes appeared from behind the heads, perfectly coordinated, as they floated upward.

Bloat, Gurgle, and Bubbles were chanting, serious and keen looks on their faces. The Blowfish wore a ring tied with long leaves upon his head, looking like they were growing right out from his head. Gurgle had the same leaf-ring, but this time, he had it around his waist. Bubbles balanced a conch shell upon his head. They seemed absurd to him, but they looked so serious about something . . .

Jacques continued marching upon the volcano, and then Nemo noticed Peach and Deb waiting on the volcano. He quietly approached them and was surprised as Deb silently flicked him with a kelp frond in her fins, her blithe face now contorted into a serious frown. Peach also flicked him with her kelp, using her energy to push herself off and brushing him.                                        

Nemo giggled at the tickles, then kept on up the volcano. Jacques had disappeared, but Nemo didn't stop to search for him. He felt that he was supposed to continue up to the top. Someone was there, he can sense it. As the chanting intensified, Nemo slowly swam up. An excitement, mixed with suspense, increased inside him, coaxing him. He saw stripes of white and black, and there he was. Gill floated at the top, waiting for him. Nemo grew humbled under the stern gaze of the Moorish Idol and yet felt completely safe with the look.

The rest drifted behind Gill, still chanting, until they sharply stopped at the flicker of his left fin. "Hoo!" 

Silence reigned.                                                                         

Gill spoke and Nemo thought his voice would shatter the glass box. "State your name."

". . . Nemo."

"Brother Bloat, proceed."

Gill backed, letting Bloat to take his position. Bloat kept his bronze eyes on the Clownfish, seeming to size him up. Then: "_Nemo!_" he hollered, flaring his fins. "Newcomer of orange and white. You have been called forth to the summit of Mount Wannahockaloogie to join with us in the fraternal bonds of tankhood."

Nemo stared, then wrinkled his nose in puzzlement. "Huh?"

Below, Peach translated for him. "We want you in our club, kid."

"Really?" They had a club and they wanted him to join in? His first night began to brighten with acceptance and welcome. 

"If!" Bloat barked. "You are able to swim through . . . _the Ring of Fire!"_

Silence reigned.

Nemo politely waited in confusion, wondering what was supposed to happen.

Irritated, Bloat hissed down to Jacques. "Turn on the Ring of Fire. You said you would turn on the Ring of Fire!"

The Shrimp used his several legs to turn the wheel on the volcano's side. The wheel controlled the speed of the bubbles that came out from the top. As the wheel turned up, a rapid jet of bubbles shot up from the top, forming a blurred wall in front of Nemo.

"_The Ring of Fire!"                                                                                                          _

Bubbles gawked at all his bubbles escaping. He struggled under his alert demeanor and shakily reached out his fin. "Bubbles, let me -" He was smacked into silence by Deb's frond.

Bloat joined in the chanting with Bubbles and Gurgle, and Gill returned to his proper position. Nemo hesitated, not understanding what was going on here. Swim through the Ring of Fire? This jet? He glanced to the chanting fishes. Now they held expectance in their eyes, even grinning with encouragement toward him.

"Is there another way?" Peach protested. "He's just a boy!"

Frightened, Deb covered her eyes and used her frond to cover 'Flo's' eyes, as well. Jacques was wailing, his tiny voice resonating. 

But Gill's confident face, nodding from behind the bubble jet, gave him courage. Nemo gathered his nerves, closed his eyes, and thrashed his tail hard. For a moment, he experienced the roar of the bubbles and the pressure they pushed on his body, then they were gone. He bumped into something and his eyes opened. A new smile crossed Gill's face, a smile that looked surprisingly soft to Nemo.

The Moorish Idol gently held him up with his good fin, voicing to the fishes, "From this moment on, you'll be known as Sharkbait."

"Sharkbait, oh-ha-ha!" the trio chanted.

"Welcome, Brother Sharkbait."

"Sharkbait, oh-ha-ha!"

"Enough with the Sharkbait!"

"Sharkbait!" That was from Gurgle who dared to continue. The rest glanced at him, and his purple scales turned red. "Oh, ba-ba-do . . ."

Gill let go of Nemo and addressed his gang, "Sharkbait is one of us now, agreed?"

"Agreed."

"And we can't send him off to his death. Darla is coming in five days. So what will we do? I'll tell you what we'll do. We're gotta get him outta here. We're gotta help him escape."

As Gill spoke, Nemo sneaked an uneasy gaze down to the picture of Darla. The metal grin, the cracked glass made him feel shaken. At the word 'escape', Nemo turned to the Moorish Idol. "Escape? Really?"

"We're _all _gotta escape." Gill's eyes again sparkled with intensity.

However, the gang didn't share the same intensity. Gurgle groaned, holding his head with a fin. "Gill, please, not another escape plan." He finished with a flourish of crossing his fins.

Deb merely glanced to her frond, muttering, "I'm sorry, but they just never work."

"How could this be any different?" Bloat added, raising an eye ridge.

Gill smiled. "That's because we've got him."

Nemo stared at the black fin pointing toward him. "Me?"

Gill silently curled his fin around the little one and shifted his sight until he spotted a machine on the wall - the filter. "See that filter?" Nemo numbly nodded. "You're the only one small enough to get in and out that thing. First, we need to take a pebble inside there and jam the gears. Then the tank's gonna get filthier and filthier by the minute. Pretty soon, the dentist will have to clean the tank. And when he does, he will take us out of the tank, put us in individual baggies; then we will roll ourselves down the counter, out of the window, off the awning, into the bushes, across the street, and into the harbor!"

Gill chuckled, now grinning widely with pleasure. "It's fool-proof." He then turned to the gang. "Who's with me?"

"Yea! Yea!' the fishes agreed, already roused with excitement from Gill's powerful words. Maybe, just this time, their leader's plan will work! They will finally escape!

However, Gurgle was still stubborn. "I think you're nuts!" he reproached. Gill cast an exasperated sigh, but the Royal Gamma ignored it. He gazed over to Nemo, unsure about the plans. "No offense, kid, but you're not the best swimmer."

"He's fine. He can do this," Gill insisted. His ruby eyes turned to the Clownfish. "So, Sharkbait, what do you think?"

Nemo regarded his new friends, his new club mates. Now that he was in their club, he knew that they wouldn't send him to do something dangerous. He was part of their gang, already loyal and devoted to each other. They will definitely watch for him. And they looked up to him to help them escape. He was the only one who can do it. He can't let them down. As he glanced up to the filter, he began to see hope. Hope that might bring freedom to his friends. Hope that might return him to his home. Hope that might ease the pain between him and his father. 

'Sharkbait' grinned. "Let's do it!"

A/O:

One thing still bothers me about the plan. If Nemo was the only one small enough to carry off the plan, why can't Jacques do it? He was smaller than the lad! But then, the Shrimp would be too small for the plans because of the currents cast by the gears and he could be too small to carry a pebble, then. But he did carry several pebbles at once to wake Nemo! :p I don't get it. 


	8. Impressions and Jellyfish Forests

Disclaimer:

Listen . . .

Do you hear that? Silence. Just silence. No chaos is happening here. No arguments. No threats that end up in bloody noses and skinned shins. Though, fishes do not have noses and shins . . . Behold. JC and Dot are facing you, seeming patient and thoughtful. On the sand bed, there are two piles of white cards in front of them, apparently. What are their plans? Are they scheming a plan to rule the world? Nah. They are too nice for that. Finally, they have putted aside their differences and wish to perform the disclaimer in one of the most honored games ever recorded in the history.

Pictionary.

Well, not exactly.

But you probably don't care, right? Let them continue, guppies - I mean humans.

JC and Dot glance at each other simultaneously.

"Ready?" the Blue questions.

"_Prêt_," the Domino answers.

Together, they pick a card from their piles, and JC flips his. "_'Disclaimer'_."

Dot peers at the card. There is a child's attempt at drawing a cloud. At least . . . it does look like one. Luckily, Dot has a keen eye for art. "Cloud?"

He nods. "A statement of escape from responsibility. Disclaimer."

"Ah." Dot then flips her card. "_'Debbie'_."

JC smacks his forehead when he looks at her picture. Instead of the driver's license-ugly photograph of the author, Deb the Humbug's picture is displayed. "Wrong picture, Dot! This's Deb, not Debbie. You've got the pictures mixed up."

"I did not! You must've done it, man," she defensively retorts, eying the Blue with suspicion.

He simply points at her pile. "This's not my pile."

"So?!" Finally, she manages to find the right picture. It's digitized to avoid disgusted expressions or the fleeing of several readers from the ugliness of the driver's license. Because it's the universal purpose that every driver's license must displays the ugliest picture possible. Only the DMV knows why. Dot points at the picture. "This's really Debbie. Ok? Got it." She then throws it over her shoulder.

JC picks up another card, which displays the twin face of the author. "_'Dai-chan'_ . . ." He peers at the picture, greatly puzzled.

Dot is also puzzled. "She looks like Debbie . . . who?"

"No idea."

Dot stares at the picture for a moment, then horror contorts her face. "You mean . . . Mademoiselle is schizophrenic?!"

_aldshgoiwne -- ! !*$%*@ . . ._

"I seriously doubt it," JC calmly mentions, while his fins make frantic cutting motions near his throat toward Dot.

Dot nervously nods, her grin plastered. "Understood. Gotcha." Hurriedly, she receives a card, just words. "_'Does not own'_."

After noticing that the card was correct this time, the Blue quietly mutters to himself, "First thing you've done right."

The Domino glares. "I would like to see _you _do better!"

"Gladly." With a flourish of his fin, he picks up a card. "_'Finding Nemo'_."

Dot is eying the picture with an intentness that worries him. She then shakes her head. "_'Finding Marlin'_? I'm sorry, but another author already have the title."

"What?" JC looks down and frowns. "Bugger." He tries another card. "Is this better?"

"Finding Dory." Third picture. "Finding the Tank Gang. Finding Blenny. Finding . . . hmm, Dory's scars?"

"Sca - what?"

Dot laughs and shrugs. "Sorry. I was reading off the 'Finding Nemo' Board and one of the members mentioned that the scars Dory had were missing by the end of the movie, and I was trying to be funny here . . ."

The Blue then gives her a look of incredulous disbelief. "Your attempt of humor is wet."

"Well, I try. By the way, nice pun."

"Thank you."

Dot then grins in excitement. "_'Or any of the characters'_."

"Cue!"

The screen then fast-forwards by moi, knowing that the Muses are going to voice every character's name from the movie. That's right, ladies and gentlefish. Every name. 3.7 trillion names. But we don't need to hear all of them, right? Let we skip them all.

The Muses finish, panting from uttering every name they could remember of. "Well, it's short," Dot says, leaning against JC for support.

Just then, everybody's favorite neurotic Royal Gamma swims past, oblivious to his surroundings. The golden and maroon eyes follow him, he in puzzlement and she in growing realization.

"GURGLE!" Dot yells in ecstasy. With a hard push of her tail, she darts off and grabs on Gurgle, her speed sending them tumbling out of the screen.

JC watches the turmoil for a moment, listening to the Gamma's whimpers of protest and her excited giggles, then he simply looks upward. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?'

_No comment._

A horrified scream trembles the water.

JC slightly flinches and shakes his head. "Ooh . . . The Death Hug of a Fanfish. Well, well, well." Out of nowhere, he gets out a crowbar and departs. "Dislocation time." 

Chapter Six: Impressions and Jellyfish Forests

"I'm going to_ 'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney' _. . ."

Ok. He can do it. He definitely can do it. He knew how to tune out from the surroundings and lock out any unnecessary sounds from his mind. He patiently glided through the waters, warmed by the bright, early morning lights above. He didn't know where he was right now, just got out from the horrible dark pit and the monstrous Anglerfish, and slept through the night safely inside a small, empty cave with the Blue. The surroundings were all sandy and rocky altogether, just like any other ground. He could be anywhere, but this time, all that mattered was keep patient and swimming on.

"Where are you going? I'm going to _'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney' _. . ."

But . . . Dory. That was the problem. She was like that since she actually recalled the address from the mask. She never stopped chanting the address, so thrilled that she had a chance to remember. At first, it wasn't bothersome, he just tuning out whenever she continued her chant, but her blithe voice kept on piercing through his mind and stayed there. The words stuck in his mind like writing on stone and he doubted he would forget them. He didn't think he could _even _force himself. Amazingly, Dory never grew bored of chanting the words. It was rather annoying, if was not driving him insane.

"If you ask where I'm going, I'll tell you that's where I'm going. It's _'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney' _. . ."

However, Marlin didn't have the heart to tell her to shut up. Not when she was very happy like that. He assumed that she did have problems with her memory, and the fact that she didn't forget the address caused extreme happiness in her. He did hear the happiness in her voice. It kinda warmed his heart that at least in this adventure, she was having fun. So that was why he let her tagging along, let her chanting the address to herself, as he silently swam around the rocky shelves.

"Where? I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. _'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney' _. . ."

Marlin gave a tolerated sigh, again wondering where he was. He and Dory didn't know where this Sydney was, so he needed to find someone who might know. His orange eyes shifted around and finally, he caught spots of flickering silver. Oh, there! A large-size school of silvery-grey fishes were circling lazily around each other. Moonfish, he thought. Excellent sources of information, having been everywhere and doing everything. Marlin smiled in relief. Finally, a step closer to his son.

He shyly drifted over to the school. "Excuse me. Hi. Do you know the way to - "

He was cut off when the school suddenly turned fin and departed away. Puzzled, Marlin chased after them, calling out and pleading. He didn't understand why the Moonfish suddenly ignored him or darted away before he could catch them. He just wanted directions. "Hello? Whoa, wait! Can you tell me - " Left, they went! "Hey! Hold it! I'm trying to talk to you." Right! "Fellas, come out here. One quick question. I need to - " Marlin slowed down, the silvery flicks vanishing in the waters. "And they're gone again . . ." He hung his head. It wasn't fair. He can't believe how rude the local fishes can be. After his experiences in the school back home, he understood that not all the fishes weren't that friendly, but he only needed directions. A heavy despair weighed in his chest, escaping out with a heavy sigh.

"_'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney'_. Why do I have to tell you again and again? I'll tell you. I don't get tired of it . . ."

Marlin clenched his teeth. Now he can't stand the chanting anymore. He didn't have time to listen to her silly singing. She caused too many delays, making him losing precious time. Every minute she was with him, every minute he lost being closer to his son. No more.

"Ok," Marlin cut Dory's chanting off, his face stiff. "Alright, here's the thing." He hesitated briefly, seeing the wide scarlet eyes on him. He can't do this, being so tough on her. She wouldn't understand, and he had to break it gently to her. "I think it's best if I just carry on from here by . . . myself."

"Okay." Dory beamed.

"You know, alone."

"Uh-huh."

"Without, without, I mean, not with you, but I don't want you . . . with me." Marlin ended with a pathetic grin. _Does she understand it?_

She stared at him, her cheerful visage fading into a puzzled look. "Huh?"

"Am I . . . I don't want to hurt your feelings."

"You want me to leave?"

"I mean not - yes. I just can't afford any more delays, and you're one of those fishes that cause delays." Seeing the hurt deepening, he tried again to cheer her up. "Sometimes, it's a good thing. There's a whole kind of fishes. They are delay fishes."

It was not funny.

Her scarlet eyes seemed to glow with new tears. "You mean . . ." Her lower lip quivered, and her freckled face contorted into a wounded expression. "You mean you don't like me?" She whirled around, weeping in her fins.

"Oh, I like you," he protested weakly. "It's just because I like you that I don't want you with me . . ." He paused, considering what he said. "That's a complicated emotion." His words wounded the Blue profoundly. His heart took pity, and Marlin felt guilty for making a gal cry. He haltingly reached to soothe her. "Don't cry. I do like you."

"Hey, you!"

Marlin turned around at the voice. The Moonfish school was there, floating in a shapeless sphere. Even though the sphere looked harmless, the tension within was enough to unnerve him. He felt every pair of eyes on him, glaring hotly. Then the voice came out from a fish somewhere inside, apparently the leader of the Moonfish. "Lady, is this guy bothering you?"

Dory's weeps had quieted, and she appeared distracted at the question. "I can't remember." Her wet eyes went to Marlin. "Were you?"

"No, no, no! We're just - " Marlin waved his fins, grinning at her awkwardly. He then gazed to the Moonfish, trying to ignore the glares, questioning, "Um, guys, do you know the way to - ?"

"Hey, pal," the Moonfish leader cut in, "we're talking to the lady, not you." Simultaneously, all the Moonfish grinned with gaiety toward Dory. "Hey, hey, you like impressions?"

The Blue shyly nodded, smiling.

"Ok, just like in rehearsals, gentlemen." Abruptly, the group went into chaos. They were forming a picture of something. Charades, apparently. Marlin recognized the picture as a swordfish. "So, what are we? Take a guess."

Dory completely forgot about being rejected and was now grinning with eagerness. "Oh, I've seen one of those!"

"I'm a fish with a nose like a _sword_."

"Wait, wait, it's . . . um . . ."

Marlin frowned at this. Do they _have _to play games with Dory right now? It'll take her forever to guess right, wasting his time. He told her, "It's a swordfish."

"Hey, Clownie boy, let the lady guess," the leader rebuked. The school shifted into a gigantic lobster. "Where is the butter?"

Dory clapped her fins together. "Oh, it's on the tip of my tongue!"

"Lobster." Marlin quietly coughed in his fin.

"Saw that!" An octopus appeared. "Lots of legs! Lives in the ocean."

"Clam!" she guessed.

"Close enough!" Once again, the school altered, this time into a pirate ship, complete with fishes shooting out like cannonballs and one fish 'walking the plank'. "_'Oh, it's a whale of a tale, I tell you, lad . . . '_"

"They're good," Dory murmured with marvel.

The Clownfish wasn't awed at all. He was furious. He needed to find directions and go find his son, and What were the Blue and the Moonfish doing? Playing silly, stupid games! His son could be in utter danger, and they didn't show any care! Frustrated, he shouted, "Will _someone _please give me directions?!"

Abruptly, the Moonfish shifted into a new picture, and that one maddened him. A silvery Clownfish with its mouth pouted, the perfect imitation of the smaller one. The leader mocked his voice, "'Will _someone _please give me directions?!'"

She delightfully laughed at the scene.

"I'm serious!"

"Blah, blah, blah, me, me, me, blah, blah, me, me!"

Marlin's frustration calmed slightly, seething under his scowl. This was ridiculous. "Thank you," he said flatly before he turned fin.

Dory's grin faded as she watched him swimming away. "Oh, dear. Hey, wait up!" She hurried after him, finally stopping him by shooting out in front of him. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"What's the matter?" he repeated with a bitter grimace. "While they are doing their silly little impressions, I'm miles from home with a fish who can't remember her own name!"

"Bet that's frustrating." 

"Meanwhile, my son is out there . . ."

"Your son, Chico?"

"_Nemo_."

"Nemo, right."

Marlin shook his head, still fuming at the insulting Moonfish and at all the other fishes who won't help him. He kept on swimming, muttering, "But it doesn't matter because no fish in the entire ocean is gonna help me."

"Well, _I'm _helping you."

The Clownfish halted. She was helping him? He didn't recall anything . . . the mask. She was the one who read it. The only one. She could've told him the address and continued on her own way. But she didn't. She stayed by his side, sharing the same adventures. She lived the same adventures and she didn't waver from the dangers. In fact, she faced them with optimism - that is, whenever she remembered anything. Her helpfulness and innocence really aided him moving on, encouraging him when he could've froze at the face of danger or given up in despair. In the entire ocean, she was the only fish who didn't leave his side. The only one who helped him.

"Wait right here." Marlin turned to watch Dory nearing the school, which still displayed the pouting Clownfish. "Guys!"

"Is he bothering you again?"

She smiled. "No, no. He's a good guy. Go easy on him. He's lost his son, Fabio. Have you heard of _'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney'_?"

"Sydney? Oh, sure!" The Moonfish changed into a new structure that the fishes never seen before - the Famous Sydney Opera House. The Moonfish seemed enthusiastic to show off their talents of knowledge to the Blue. "Ted's got relatives out there. Have you, Ted?'

"Sure do!"

Dory grinned; this was amazing! She shouted over to Marlin, "Oh, hey, they know Sydney!"

He looked up in disbelief; Dory actually helped him? Another chance to find his son caused new hope and he rushed to her side.

"You wouldn't know how to get there, would you?" she asked.

"What you wanna do is follow the E.A.C. That's the East Australian Current." The Sydney Opera House structure altered into two waves parallel to each other, along with a couple of fishes swimming between. "Big current. Can't miss it." An arrow before it veered southward. "It's in that direction. And you're gonna follow it for . . . I don't know, what do you think, guys? Three leagues? That little baby will take you right past Sydney." More fishes came around the arrow and shifted their scales to cause silvery lights. "Ta-da!"                

Ecstasy filled his chest. Finally, he found a way to his son! There were fishes out there who will help him, and they did help! "That's great!" Marlin embraced the Blue in rejoicing. "Dory, you did it!"

Her laughter was bashful. "Oh, please, I'm just your helper - helping along, that's me."

Dory stayed close to Marlin's tail as he thanked the Moonfish sincerely. "Thank you, fellas."

"Don't mention it!" The Moonfish changed back into the replica of Marlin, this time grinning. "Just loosen up, okay, buddy?"

She giggled. "Oh, you guys. You really nailed him. Bye."

"Oh, one more thing, ma'am." The school halted her, forming into a small-size trench in front of her. "Remember, when you go to this trench, swim through it, not over it."

Dory's face frowned thoughtfully as she pressed her memory to receive the important information. "Trench. Through it, not over. I'll remember." She gave them her positive grin, then caught a last glimpse of Marlin disappearing around rocks. "Hey, wait up, partner!" With her speed, she was quickly caught up with the Clownfish, who had stopped, his eyes looking up to something. "I have to tell you something . . ." She noticed the cautious face and followed his gaze. "Whoa . . ."

The Moonfish's trench didn't give the real thing justice. It rose as high as their gazes can follow. The rocks were dark grey, touched blue by the waters, the rugged rocks split apart into a 'V' shape. Within, darkness waited. It was amazing that this trench was formed in the middle of the ocean, appearing small compared with other trenches, but to the reef fishes, it was obviously dangerous, from the looming look.

"Nice trench," Dory was impressed, and then yelled, "Hello!" Her voice echoed in the trench. Marlin eyed the shadows with uncertainty. He wondered if he should listen to the Moonfish and continue this way, but he didn't want to have to swim through it. It looked too terrifying.

Dory glanced to Marlin's face, and then shrugged. She didn't see why the trench can be so scary. The darkness didn't bother her, and she didn't have the foreboding feeling at all. "Ok, let's go," she said as she headed into the trench.

"No, no, bad trench," Marlin protested, grabbing on her fin and dragging her out. "C'mon, we will swim over it."

A sudden apprehension twitched in her mind and Dory hesitated. It could be nothing, but something about it alarmed her. "Whoa, partner, wait up. Little red flag going up." She considered the trench, now troubled about the sight and about the sensation she got. Her memory slightly stirred as she studied the rocks. "Something's telling me that we should swim through it, not over."

Marlin floated down in her sight, disbelieved. "Are you looking at this thing? It's got _death _written all over."

She looked at his face and quietly voiced, "I'm sorry, but I really, really, _really _think we should swim through."

The Clownfish frowned. "And I really, really think we're done talking about this. Over we go."

"Trust me on this." 

"Trust you?" 

"Yes, trust. That's what friends do." She gave him a beaming grin that radiated her honesty. _Please. Trust me. _

Marlin didn't look relieved at that, eying her with doubt, and then his eyes shifted to something behind her. He suddenly pointed. "Look, something shiny!"

"Where?" Excited, Dory gazed around. She didn't see anything shiny, but the apprehension was gone. She wasn't worried anymore.

"Oh, it just swam over the trench," he said. "C'mon, we'll follow it."

"Okay!"

The swim up to the top took them a while to arrive, the trench amazingly tall, even taller than anything they could remember. Finally, they were over the trench, and they were awed at how clear the waters were up above. Marlin felt home in the clear waters; no predators around, but Dory was puzzled.

"Boy, it's sure clear up here." She didn't believe what she saw. It was like crystal waters, so empty, and they were all alone. Again, the apprehension entered her mind briefly, and then disappeared. Should they be up here . . . ?

"Yes." Marlin swam farther until he spotted a strange current spinning through the waters. It was easily recognizable with the darker waters moving in ropey currents. "And look, there's the current. We'll be there in no time."

Dory was quietly listening to his words, already bored of the clear waters, nothing else to see . . . A pinkish movement caught her eyes. She grinned at the cute tiny thing floating alone in the waters. It was so small, even smaller than her eyes, its top squeezing to keep itself afloat. "Oh, hey, little guy."

"And you want to swim through the trench," he was chuckling, not looking back.

It was so cute! "I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine. He shall be my Squishy." She giggled, turning to the tiny thing. "Come here, Squishy. Come here, little Squishy." She made baby noises, gently reaching to touch it. The instant she touched the thing, a burst of electricity bit upon her right fin, stinging like fire, rushing up to the joint, and remained there, aching and burning. Dory yelped in surprise, pulling her fin away. Already, her fin became numb, despite the deep ache.

She heard a gasp and "Dory, that's a jellyfish!" before Marlin fell in beside her.

The sting made her peeved as she scolded the thing. "Bad Squishy! _Bad _Squishy!"

"Shoo! Get away!" He then swatted the thing hard with his tail that sent it flying. He neared her, holding out his fins. "Here, let me see it."

Dory felt the apprehension and she recoiled away. "No, don't touch it!" She cradled the injured fin, flinching at the burn.

"I won't touch it. I only want to see."

Dory glanced to his tail and was surprised to see that it wasn't limping at all. He didn't express any pain. "Hey, how come it didn't sting you?"

"It did. It's just . . ." Gently, Marlin held on her injured fin, sending more fire through her body. Her cries of pain were quickly soothed. "Hold still. I live in this anemone and I'm used to those kinds of stings." His touches were comforting, paternal as he inspected her fin. She tried to ignore the ache, focused her attention on his kind words as he spoke, "You're gonna be fine. It doesn't look bad. But now, we know that we don't want to touch these again." Of course, she didn't want to touch bad Squishy again! It was so mean. He stroked her fin, smiling. "Let's be thankful it was just a little one . . ."

His unexpected gasp of terror startled her and she turned around. Pink. That's all she saw. All pink. Like the tiny thing she had touched and got stung . . . Jellyfish? Jellyfish!

The Blue darted to his side, hugging him in dismay, her eyes shut. Marlin tried not to show fear, but his body was shaking as he looked around. So many jellyfish here . . . He couldn't believe how many jellyfish were alive, could be alive right here in the crystal waters. "Don't move," he ordered her, gently removing her fins from around him. Everywhere he looked, there were jellyfish, blocking his view. Hundreds of pink tentacles filled his view, reminding him of the stinging poison running through them. Marlin wouldn't have much trouble with the tentacles, for he was immune to the stings. But his immunity was limited. Jellyfish' stings were more powerful and more dangerous. He could be safe if he was stung first, but more stings after that, he would lose his immunity and wouldn't get out in time. And Dory . . . She was most vulnerable here. Both of them needed to get out.

"This is bad, Dory," Marlin murmured, his eyes on the pink.

"Hey, watch this!"

Her merry voice started him, and he whirled around to see the Blue gleefully bouncing upon a jellyfish! Even though she was only bouncing on the top, still she _was _bouncing _on _a jellyfish! "Dory, no!"

He tried to catch her and pull her away safely from the coming tentacles, but Dory dodged, laughing, and went off to bounce on another jellyfish. "You can't catch me!"

"Dory, don't bounce on the tops! They will . . ." Marlin watched her bouncing on the top. The only safe spot of the deadly creatures. ". . . not sting you! They will not sting you!" 

Now she sprung on the third top. "Twice in a row! Beat that!"

An idea was forming in his mind. Maybe, they could get out safely! He hurried to her, avoiding several passing tentacles in time. "Dory, I have an idea - a game."

Her scarlet eyes widened with thrill. "A game? A game! I love games! Pick me!"

"Here's the game," Marlin tried to speak, ducking and recoiling at the closing tentacles. They had to act quick! "Whoever can hop the fastest out of those jellyfish wins."

"Okay!"

"Rules, rules, rules! You can't touch the tentacles. Only the tops."

Dory frowned as she forced herself to remember. Unfortunately, she could remember some. "Something about tentacles. Ok, got it! Go!" She shot off, began her bounces.

Marlin chased after her, yelling, "No, it's not something about tentacles! It's all of 'em!" Why must her flaw act up in this dangerous situation?! He had to keep close to her to make sure she didn't go tumbling into tentacles.

She laughed and glanced back. "Gotta swim faster if you want to win!" 

Her speed was tremendous, and she rapidly increased the distance in between. But she then slowed down, enjoying bouncing on the jellyfishes. Soon, he was at her side, wildly avoiding the tentacles.

"Ok, ok, we're cheating death, that's what we are doing." But he was surprised to sense a spark of elation, a thrill inside him. He was enjoying this game. Her laughter burned the spark further, and Marlin began to smile. He never knew that doing something dangerous can be fun. "But we're having fun at the same time. I can do this. Just be careful."

"Yeah, be careful not to cry when I win!" Dory teased before she darted forward.

Marlin gave out a passionate laugh. "I don't think so!"

Through the Pink Death, the Clownfish and the Blue were having time of their lives, springing on the jellyfishes' tops altogether, their laughter filling their ears. Marlin was astonished to feel so excited, so electrified by the sight of danger. He was actually having fun bouncing on the jellyfish, even though a voice inside his mind kept yelling that it was too hazardous to do. He recognized it as his own voice, the same voice he recently used to keep Dory out of trouble, keep Nemo out of trouble. He ignored it this time. This was too much fun! Why should he stop?

The fishes were now racing for the exit. Dory evaded the tentacles with such an accuracy that surprised him, but then she was a sprinter, swift with her flat body and shapely fins. She giggled as she watched him, admiring the unusual speed he had to be able to catch up to the Blue. "Give it up, old man! You can't fight evolution. I'm built for speed."

_Haha! I'm as fast as you are! _"The question is, Dory, are you hungry?"

"Hungry?"

His smile widened into a youthful and bright grin. "Yeah, 'cause you're about to eat my bubbles!" He flashed a teasing wink before a thrash of his fin pushed him forward. A few dodging and sidestepping, and he was out. Instead of the uncomfortable warmth the jellyfishes gave out, he now felt the soft warmth of empty waters. Just before him, there was the current, whirling through the waters. Marlin was rejoiced; he got himself and Dory out of here safely! "The Clownfish is the winner! We did it!"

Apprehension touched him when he didn't hear the laughter of Dory. He hurried around, but . . . he was alone here. ". . . Dory?" She didn't answer. He didn't see any flash of blue that belonged to her, didn't see the blithe grin . . . Alone. Marlin gazed up to the jellyfishes, the pink forming a deadly wall . . . No blueness. No laughter. 

Total alarm filled him. What if she . . . "Oh, no . . ." He darted back into the jellyfish forest. The creatures weren't too close, but it could still be a close call. But Dory wasn't meant to be in small spaces, and being in the jellyfish forest would be the death of her. Marlin shook his head, removing the horrible thought out, and yelled out her name.

He was despaired when he couldn't hear her voice. He hoped he wasn't too late. A flash of blue over there and Marlin gazed down. She was there, all tangled in tentacles! "Dory!" She was silent, barely breathing. The tentacles were tightly bound across her right side, and he couldn't imagine how much pain she was suffering now. The pain must've knocked her out cold. He eyed the tentacles, hesitating, but frowned. He can't wait any more second! He can do it! He had strong immunity and he can get her out.

Taking a deep breath, Marlin darted into the clouds of tentacles, feeling the unbelievable stings pounding against him, grabbed on her back, and yanked her out. She wasn't heavy, but her body was too large for him to carry. He had to curl his fin around her dorsal fin and back and used his other fin to keep himself afloat. He was in a difficult position. He couldn't swim as fast, and he didn't know how fast he can go carrying her out from the Pink Death.

A feeble groan escaped and he gazed down to her. She weren't moving, but her eyes were slightly opened. She sluggishly glanced up to him before closed her eyes in lack of energy. Then she barely whispered, "Am I disqualified?"

A surprised laugh came in his mind. She didn't even know that she was hurt and she just merely asked if she was out of the game. She was so optimistic . . . A new admiration shone for her, but then the sight of the jellyfishes closing in jolted him back into the situation. He wouldn't have a chance to admire her if he didn't get her out in time.

"No, you're doing fine!" Marlin said, seeing that she was sinking back into blackness. "You're actually winning! But you need to stay awake. Where does P. Sherman live?'

Obediently, Dory weakly recited the address, and Marlin wildly searched for any opening, any exit to flee. Pink, pink, pink - blue! It was a tiny opening, but he will make it! He darted forward, his balance turned off by using only one fin and more weight on his right. But he fought back, starting and recoiling every time the tentacles brushed against him. Burst after burst were worse than the previous, eventually dazing him with the terrible ache. His vision blurred, but he focused on the blue spot, reminding himself of the safety waiting out there. "Stay awake!" He was bellowing for both Dory and himself. "Stay . . . awake!"

A jellyfish floated up in front, covering the opening. Marlin didn't stop there, keeping on swimming right through the tentacles. Daggers of pain and burns pierced right inside him, numbing his body and mind. Dory sank out from his weak grip, murmuring the words again and again. The ache filled his mind, dulling his senses and pulling him slowly into blackness. 

"Awake . . ." he gasped. He barely saw a shadow of some animal he didn't recognize, sinking downward to him. "Wake up . . ."

Blackness swallowed him all.

"Nemo . . ."

A/O:

I literally recoiled when Marlin and Dory got stuck in the jellyfish forest. I was so frightened for them and was praying for them to get out. I was totally surprised that Marlin was having fun bouncing on those jellyfishes! Was he insane or what? Why can't he just see that it was dangerous?! Am I sounding like Marlin? Phooey. 

One last note: This scene had proved my theory right. Pink _is _evil. ;)


	9. Failure

Disclaimer:

Remember the abyss? The screen is just like this. Black. You can't see anything at all. Ain't it annoying? Soon, you hear a familiar voice (let's pretend you do hear it, right?).

JC doesn't sound happy. "I thought we already left the abyss . . . Where the heck am I?" Silence, then suspicion. "Hmm, where is Dot? Dot? Bet she's up to one of her pranks, tsk. Dot! Probably planning a scheme. Dot!"

"Quiet! Shh!" She is from ahead of JC, apparently, and he tenses. If a Damselfish hisses at you to be quiet, that usually means she's up with something.

"What are you trying to do?" JC says, squinting to see better in the pitch black.

"I'm trying to catch my love."

" . . . Oh? How so?"

"The Abyss chapter inspired me. Look."

A beam of white light bursts in the darkness, fiercely bright, and it's aimed straight for JC's eyes. Yelping in surprise, the Blue rubs his blinded eyes. Dot is nearby, holding, out of all things, a tiny waterproofed flashlight. She's grinning blithely, easily balancing the flashlight at JC for a moment before she lowers the beam.

JC opens a sore eye and points at her. "Next time, cast that light away from my eyes, ok?"

"I would if you weren't in the way!"

"Anyway . . . how did you get that sparklelight?"

"_Flash_light!" She again aims it at his eyes.

JC doesn't move, simply closing his eyes. "Flashlight."

"Good fish. Now, in the Abyss chapter, the Anglerfish used her light to attract prey."

The Blue then smirks. "Now, dear, you needn't use a light to lure your prey. You only need your charm."

Dot doesn't look like she's appreciating the comment. Instead, she speaks back in her natural language, "Je vous ferais ma proie, joli garçon_."_

"Yeah, whatever. So who is the lucky lad?"

"Gurgle, of course!"

JC watches her face to see if she's serious. Oh, yes, she's deadly serious. ". . . Even after I freed him from you in the last disclaimer?"

"Yes, and - " Dot sharply aims the beam at him, her eyes afire. " - if you try to do that again, after I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to still have gills!"

"I'll keep that in mind." JC shakes his head knowingly. "Even so, you don't even exist in Pixar's reality of the Great Barrier Reef."

Dot rests the flashlight on her back, grinning slyly. "Doesn't stop Mademoiselle from using her imagination, then."

The Blue looks worried and he glances up. "Are you serious about let her doing it?"

_No. Just let her dream._

"Oh, right." JC already regrets to test the Domino, for she likes to prove that she's right. "And, Dot, even if you do win Gurgle's heart - " His voice dropped " - _the poor boy_- You will have to fight other females to get him. I believe there are several who love Gurgle, too."

The Domino cackles with madness. "Let them try and steal my Gurgle away! No one can stop me from loving Two-Tone! NO ONE!"

JC shakes his head sadly. It's too late. Gurgle is doomed. He then looks to you. "You know the disclaimer, right? No ownership here. Ok. Now let me lead her out of your way. Dot?"

"Yeah?"

"I believe I see Two-Tone out there."

"GURGLE!" Flashlight ready, Dot darts off in the search of the Gamma.

"Ciao," JC waves before he follows her. This's too good to pass.

Chapter Seven: Failure

There were four days left.

Nemo drifted near the wall closest to the window, gazing out to the harbor. The calm waters relieved him every time he looked upon them, but at the same time, the sight saddened him. Knowing that the sea was so close yet so far wounded him. He knew it was useless to brood over his problems. He wasn't his usual self lately. The thought of that fish killer coming so soon frightened him, and even the other fishes' confidence and warmth didn't help him much.

He'd grown to love his new friends already, and he knew that they were watching out for him. He grew close to each of them, but Gill and Peach were the closest. While the rest were like friends and playmates, Gill and Peach were almost like parents to him.

Gill may be not the best father, but he was like a second father. He was Marlin without all the precautions. Gill was serious, stoic, but laid-back and let Nemo learn on his own, learn his mistakes. He taught Nemo how to swim correctly with his lucky fin, for a start. Gill was the only one who knew how since he was crippled, too. Soon, Nemo was swimming in perfect balance, not if fast enough, using his left fin to steadily push against the waters, beating his right fin twice as fast to hold the balance. Also, Gill was warming up to him, and he's never done that to anybody else but Peach, the others fishes had told Nemo. Gill was the antisocial type, despite his leadership to them.

Peach was so sweet that it was difficult not to like her. She had such a warm heart and was willing to lend an arm - she had several - to comfort. After talking to her, Nemo found that she was the first resident of the tank and was wise in her years. She was knowledgeable of the surroundings of the dentist's business and beyond. She seemed to know what to do and how to say the right thing, and Nemo got attracted to her for her gentle voice and kindness. She reminded him of what a mother should be - kind, sweet, and loving.

Still, Nemo yearned for his father. Desire for his father saddened him farther because he knew about the fear of the ocean his father had that kept him away from his love of the ocean. He doubted that his father would be searching for him by now. He was too afraid of the ocean. That was why whenever Nemo gazed upon the harbor, he felt saddened by the fact that his father wasn't there looking out for him.

He heard the soft movements that he recognized as Gill's swim as the Moorish Idol swam up to his side. He was comforted by his presence, but it didn't help much.

"You miss your dad, don't you, Sharkbait?" Gill questioned gently.

"Yeah . . ."

"You're lucky to have someone out there looking for you."

Nemo sighed, his sadness increased at the words. "He's not looking for me. He's scared of the ocean."

Gill observed the little one, his hard heart softening slightly at the face, then looked up to his other friend. "Peach, any movement?"

Peach was keeping an eye on Doctor Sherman, the dentist, who was drinking a cup of black liquid. She twisted off the wall and answered, "He's got four cups of coffee. It's gotta be soon."

"Keep on him."

Nemo's drifting eyes locked up on the object that kept him inquired for awhile - Gill's severed fin. It didn't look ugly, but it was disfigured. Half of it was gone, torn by something sharp, and the healing progress didn't look right on it. The fin bones were clearly seen, barely hidden by black scar tissue. Nemo was astounded at that, and often he tried to gather up courage to ask Gill about it, but never did, his courage rapidly faded at the sight of the solemnity.

Nemo gazed toward Gill's face and was startled to see the ruby eyes watching him. Embarrassed, he looked away, wondering what will the leader do to him for disturbing his privacy.

"My first escape," Gill spoke simply. "Landed on dental tools. I was aiming for the toilet."

"Toilet?" Nemo asked in puzzlement.

"All drains lead to the ocean, kid."

"Wow . . . How often did you try to escape?"

Gill grunted. "Ah, I've lost the count." He lightly swam along the wall, Nemo following at his side. "Fishes aren't meant to be a box, kid. It does thing to you."

Nearly, Nemo overheard the laughter of Bubbles as he played with his bubbles. He agreed with Gill about that.

"Potty break!" Peach announced as the dentist headed for the bathroom. "He grabbed the _'Reader's Design'_. We have 4.2 minutes."

The Moorish Idol grinned at the Clownfish. "It's your cue, Sharkbait."

The fishes were there at the filter, most giving support and encouragement. Gurgle was the one who was worried; he protested to the plan from the start, not wanting little Nemo to endanger his life for the Tank Gang. Nemo understood his concern, but he wanted to prove that he can help, not being dead weight to them. He glanced up to the filter and then became conscious of what he was going to do. He was going to enter that machine, supposed to stop it from working. He wondered how dangerous it could be.

"Now, once you get in, you swim down to the bottom of the chamber, and I'll talk you through the rest," Gill was saying.

He hesitated, unsure of the hazards. "OKay . . ."

Gill smiled with confidence. "It'll be a piece of kelp."

The lad inhaled in a deep breath and went to the surface. He eyed the water wheel, which was spinning, pushing out clean water. When he first observed the wheel, he was worried that he was too big to get inside, but Gill had pointed out that there was a space on the top of the spokes, just big enough for him to squeeze through. Nemo did so, leaping out and squishing into the filter. Incredibly filthy water entered his gills and Nemo coughed, shuddered at the scum taste.

"Nicely done!" he heard Gill's voice clearly through the filter. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah!"

"Here is a pebble." After a moment, a small pebble splashed into the filter, spat by Gill. Nemo carefully caught it in his good fin. "Now, do you see a small opening?"

He turned, spotting a breakneck-spinning gear inside some column, he guessed. "Uh-huh!"

"Inside it, you'll see a rotating fan. Wedge that pebble into the fan to stop it turning."

He gulped, but was determined to do the duty his friends entrusted him with. The currents caused by the gear were surprisingly powerful and he had to struggle a bit to move forward. Holding the pebble tightly, he tried to place it beside the gear. He got it too close and the pebble violently leaped when the gear struck it. If he wasn't holding it tightly, the pebble would ricochet off. It would harm him that way.

"Careful, Sharkbait!" the Moorish Idol warned.

"I can't do it," Nemo whimpered. The mistake started familiar worry.

"Gill, this's not a good idea," he heard Peach distinctly saying.

"He'll be fine," the leader insisted. "Try again!"

With Gill's voice supporting him, Nemo carefully followed his directions. Steady and steady. He put down the pebble beside the gear and gingerly impelled it closer and closer until one of the spokes slammed on it. And stayed there. The gear stopped! The water stopped flowing! He did it! Nemo beamed, leaping in jubilee. "I got it! I got it!"

He heard cheers from outside and he felt elated by it. "That's great, kid." Even Gill sounded glad. "Now swim up the tube and out."

Nemo nodded and squeezed through the opening up into the tube. He remembered what Gill said on the first day: alternative his fins and tail. The tube was tight, but he fitted fine, wiggling through the glass tunnel. He heard a very faint crackle, but didn't pay attention. He wanted to join in the cheers. Just closer and closer and he will be -

The wheel started spinning. He felt water being drawn back in the tube backward. S-something was wrong! He didn't get it right! He yelled, "No, no, no!" as he was pulled closer to the dangerously-spinning gear.

He heard alarmed yells, and then he saw a plant being pushed through the tube. He heard Gill's anxious "Sharkbait, grab hold on this!" He understood and struggled until he bit on a leaf. He relaxed slightly, and then the leaf tore off. It flew off and sucked right into the gear. "Sharkbait, grab it!" Finally, the lad got his mouth around the branch.

"Got it!"

_"Pull!" _bellowed the Moorish Idol, yet the fishes didn't need to hear the order to pull.

Nemo felt the smooth glass rushing by, and he finally was out of the filter. He stumbled into a pile of panting and shaken friends, and then he recalled what could've happened to him. Fear crept up in him, and he began to shake, burying himself under Peach's arm.

Peach tenderly held him, feeling wet tears from the lad, then eyed the Moorish Idol, who had freed himself from the pile. "Gill." Her friend bristled and gazed back. Sure enough, she was surprised to see guilt burning in his face. Yet, she must defend the lad's safety. "Don't make him go back in there."

Gill gazed at the crying Nemo and shook his head ashamedly. "No . . . we're done." With that, he darted for his skull home, unable to face any fish.

A/O: This scene caused me to start a speck of hate toward Gill for making Nemo doing it, but then, when I noticed the guilt in his face, I now understand. Not even mysterious, dark fishes are perfect. He just reacts differently to the problem. *hugs Nemo and Gill*


	10. Grab Shell, Dude!

Disclaimer:

Ok, guppies, I've already said this. I do not own anything that belongs to 'Finding Nemo' nor do I own it. I own only JC and Dot, and definitely, my oddity.

Dot: Why can't we do the disclaimer like before?

I've ran out of ideas.

JC: I have an idea. Why won't you ask the readers to help us out? I believe they would love to see their ideas displayed for the disclaimer. They can send their ideas to your email address and have either of us or us together doing them. I think that'll be fun.

Gee, what a brilliant idea.

JC: Well, it was yours originally, but you made me say it so it won't sound like you're begging them.

. . .

Dot: Hahah! Good one, man!

No more Gurgle for you.

Dot: Hey, I didn't say that! JC did!

Ok, then no more Coral for you, JC.

JC: Bugger.

Dot: Coral? I still think you should have Dory.

JC: Only if you will have Marlin.

Dot: Eww! He's like my cousin!

JC: Then Dory is like my sister. It would be revolting.

Dot: . . . Hmm, you have a point there.

Oh, man, what have I done?

Chapter Eight: Grab shell, Dude!

Ache.

That was all he sensed after he crawled out from the blackness. His senses were dulled and clouded by the haziness in his body. At first, he thought his body was completely numb and lifeless, but he then perceived his heartbeat, faint and steady, pulsating through his veins, along with the ache. His sense of touch woke first, stating that he was laying on his side, upon something hard and ridged. He felt waters skimming on his scales, nudging him to wake. Then he heard a distinct voice breaking through the daze, repeating one word that he couldn't recognize. The voice sounded low, benign, and it had the mellowness of a free swimmer to it. The voice seemed to urge him to wake.

"Dude . . . ?"

His sight was heavily clouded, but slowly, he began seeing a darker shadow in the fog. As his vision cleared, the shadow became a head, then the head belonged to a Green Sea Turtle. He looked ancient, with the laughter lines around his heavy-lidded green eyes and a permanent smile on his beak.

"Focus, dude. Dude."

Marlin flinched at the light nausea swimming in his stomach. His frail groan convinced the Turtle.

"Oh, he lives!" The Turtle's concerned smile widened easily. "Hey, dude!"

"Oh, what happened?" he questioned, sluggishly righting himself. He was faintly confused to find that his body was weak and lethargic, like he was sleeping too long. His mind was still dazed and blank, couldn't recall what happened earlier.

"Saw the whole thing, dude," the Turtle drawled. Using exaggerated gestures, he expressed his amazement and approval, a bounce in his body. "First, you were like 'Whoa', and we were like 'Whoa!', and then you were like 'Whoa . . .'"

Marlin merely held on, feeling the nausea stirring against the movements, waiting until the Ancient calmed down and asked, "What're you talking about?"        

The Turtle gazed back, his grin contagious. "You, mini-man. Takin' on the jellies. You got some serious thrill issues, dude." He made a deep chuckle that shook his entire body, including Marlin. "Awesome."

The Clownfish shut his eyes. "Oh, my stomach. Ohh!"                               

"Hey, man, no hurling on the shell, okay? Just waxed it."

He paused for a moment, waiting until the nausea finally eased, and he gazed at the friendly face. It was the first time he met a gigantic Sea Turtle face to face, and even so, he began to feel that he had known the Turtle for years. The Turtle treated him like an old friend, and for a moment, he was grateful for that, considering all the dangers he had faced lately.

As usual, he was timid as he asked, "So, Mr. Turtle -"

"Whoa, dude." The Turtle had a shocked expression, and he quickly glanced around, as if was making sure they were alone. He then laughed. "Mr. Turtle is my father. The name's Crush."

Marlin tilted his head in mild interest. "Crush? Really? Ok, Crush, I need to get to the East Australian Current. EAC?"

Crush gave out a pleased chortle, shaking his head with a flipper on his forehead. "Oh, dude! You're riding it, dude!" He then gestured behind him with his head. "Check it out!"

When he turned around, Marlin was greeted by an incredible view that he would cherish for years to be. Hundreds of Sea Turtles, all in natural colors of green, brown, and orange, lazily flapped their fins, bodies filling the East Australian Current. He began to notice that the speeding waters had a specific speed that was first felt than seen. The current water was darker than the surrounding waters, coloring light green and a bit of dark blue against the usual cool blue color. Bubbles and wisps of liquid passed him, stroking his scales with such a smoothness that was almost like perfect calm waters. Also, there were hundreds of fish species, calmly swimming among the Turtles, unafraid of their meat-eating abilities, and the Turtles appeared unfazed, as well, merely laughing and chattering with each other. It was perfect harmony, and Marlin was awed at the sight.

Then his new companion uttered out with a grin. "Ok, grab shell, dude!"

Marlin was startled to feel a new tremble in the waters and he whirled around just in time to yell, "Grab whaaaaaaaaaaaat?!" He, indeed, grabbed on the edge of the thick shell as the current suddenly took in a plummeting dip, the speed seeming to suck him, Crush, and the nearby Turtles swiftly. He couldn't stop screaming, even when the current curled upward into an excited elation that pulled out more laughter from Crush.

"Haha! Righteous! Righteous!" the ancient Turtle hollered like a kid.

Finally, the current steadied up, and the Turtles came back easily into the lazy swim. Crush rolled himself onto his back, letting Marlin floating on his chest. "So . . . What brings you on this fine day to the E.A.C?"

"Dory and I need to get to Sydney," Marlin simply said. Abruptly, he remembered. Dory! The jellyfish forest! Genuine and painful dismay filled him. "Dory! Is she alright?" He searched around, wanting to see a hint of blue scales, a flash of the kind grin. He couldn't bear the thought that she might be dead . . .

Crush frowned in puzzlement, then understood. "Oh, little Blue." He rolled back on his stomach and pointed downward. "She's sub-level, dude."

A couple of Turtles had shifted out of Marlin's sight, and there she was. She was on another Turtle, who was swimming near the bottom of the current. She was laying on her side, comatose.

"Dory! Dory!" The Clownfish dove over to her. There, he stopped, staring in new shame at the reward she got from the jellyfish 'game'. Three raw scars blemished across her right gill cover, as long as her fins. They shone white and pink, and Marlin flinched with pain when he eyed the scars, as like they burned on his side, too. Barely hearing her muttering, Marlin guiltily reached to touch the scars, then stopped. He was ashamed and angry at himself for not listening to her. She knew. Even with her memory flaw, she knew when to stop from continuing into danger. He should've listened to her advice of swimming through the trench.

"Dory . . ." Marlin whispered, lowering his fin. "I'm so sorry. This's all my fault. It's my fault."

" . . . Twenty-nine, thirty!" He blinked at her playful voice as Dory popped open her eyes and leaped up with energy. "Ready or not, here I come!" She darted off to another Turtle, appearing to search for something. Or someone. She spotted whatever it was and pointed excitedly. "There you are!"

Young Turtles swam out from their hiding places from under the smiling old Turtle, laughing and clapping their fins.

Dory wagged her tail, shouting, "Catch me if you can!" She then dropped swiftly just before the Turtles grabbed on her. Their laughter echoed as they circled around the older Turtle and sped past Marlin, not noticing him.

Marlin stayed where he was, feeling great relief that Dory was fine. He wondered if she had recalled the scars, but then he didn't want to spark her memory about the pain and danger. All that mattered was that she was alright. Marlin glanced around the area, now with warming pleasure. He watched few youngsters showing off their moves to each other, using an old Turtle's shell. Even the Turtle was enjoying it, observing the show. Two parents were swinging a little Turtle gal in their fins, the gal so tiny compared to her large parents. Marlin felt a heavy sadness coming in, and he knew that he was missing his son. He never got to play with his son like the Turtles did; he always ended up worrying over Nemo's safety. He began to wonder if he would ever see his son again. He hoped that once he found him, he will make sure that Nemo's time with him will not be wasted.                                                                                          

He heard laughter nearby. An old Turtle was swinging a chain of youngsters, and with a slight jerk, caused a young lad at the end to break off. Marlin was shocked to see the lad spinning right out of the current!

"Oh, my goodness!" He hurried forward, but then was stopped by a large flipper.

"Kill the motor, dude," Crush was saying, lowering his flipper. He then gestured toward the current. "Let's see what Squirt does flying solo."

The tiny lad was a blur as he appeared to search for the right spot to enter the current. After a moment, he broke through, the speeding waters sending him into a whirl that ended him up upon his back. Surprisingly, the lad wasn't sounding afraid. In fact, he was excited.

"Whoa! That was _so _cool!" Squirt's large red eyes were on Crush as he awkwardly flapped his fins toward him. "Hey, Dad, did you see that? Did you see me? Did you see what I did?"

When Crush appeared sleepily and laid-back to Marlin, he was astonished to see the heavy-lidded eyes opening wide like a energetic kid, grinning proudly. "You so totally rock, Squirt! So give me fin." His tiny son slapped his tiny flipper upon his large flipper. "Noggin." Both bumped their heads together, making a solid clonk. "Dude."

"Dude!"

The Clownfish shyly drifted closer to the older Turtle when Squirt interestingly regarded him. Crush then beamed. "Oh, Intro. Jellyman, offspring. Offspring, Jellyman!"

Squirt's mouth gawked open. "Jellies?! Sweeeeet."

"Totally."

Marlin chuckled bashfully, wondering why Crush called him Jellyman all of a sudden. All he did was saved his friend from the jellyfish. It was nothing extraordinary. "Apparently, I must've done something that you liked . . . dudes."

Squirt flapped close and grinned. "You rock, dude!" He gave him a bonk on his head.

"Ow . . ." Marlin rubbed the sore bruise.

"Curl away, my son," Crush waved to Squirt, who swam off with his friends, and sighed with pride, turning to Marlin. "It's awesome, Jellyman. The little dudes are just eggs. We leave them on the beach to hatch, then coo-coo-cahoo, they find their way back to the big ol' blue."

Marlin was surprised. "All by themselves?"

"Yeah."

"But, dude, how did you know when they are ready?" he asked, anxious at the fact that the Turtles would simply leave their babies all alone, outside the ocean.

The Turtle mildly smiled. "Well, you'll never know, but when they know, you'll know, you know?" Ha!" His relaxed, rhythmical nods affected the Clownfish, and altogether, they merely watched the playful children, nodding lazily.

Marlin then watched Dory, still playing Chase with her friends, closing, then halted as she noticed him. Her gaze held mild perplexity toward him. During that moment, he was disheartened that she didn't recognize him at first, but then her scarlet eyes instantly brightened and she grinned broadly. She turned to the youngsters, pointing, "Hey, look, everybody!"

The Turtles gazed upon Marlin with childish interest, which made him smiling shyly. Squirt was there, as well, laughing. "I know that dude! It's the Jellyman!"

"Go on, jump on him!" Dory told them.

"Turtle pile!" The children flapped their fins hard to swim forward into alarming speeds.

"Wait, wait, wait!" the Clownfish protested just before the turtles leaped upon him.

Questions erupted around him.

"Are you funny?"

"Where is your shell?"                                                                

"Are you running away?"

"Did you really cross the jellyfish forest?"

"Did they sting you?"

Marlin gasped for breath, squeezing out between a tiny opening before the Turtles managed to crush him. "One at a time!" He nervously chuckled, stopping one of the children before he could earn another bonk on his head as a greeting. A tiny flipper tugged at his tail and he turned to see the close-up face of a gal.

"Mr. Fish, did you die?" she questioned, her eyes wide.

Dory neared, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, I was a little vague on the details."

Marlin shook his head in admiration toward the Blue, then answered Squirt's question of the whereabouts he was heading. "Well, you see, my son was taken. He was taken away from me."                         

The children's large eyes widened as much as they could in suspenseful curiosity and they gathered around Dory, who was also astonished - forgotten all about their travels once again. "No way," she murmured.

"What happened?" Squirt questioned, resting upon the Blue's back.

The thoughts of his adventures, the pain and fright he'd earned were too much this time. He didn't want to recall any of them. He shook his head reservedly. "No, kids, I don't want to talk about it."

"Aw, please!" the Turtles pleaded. "Pleeeeeaaasse?"

Dory glanced at the Turtles, then nodded at Marlin. Her nod encouraged him to let the Turtles know. Maybe talking about the stories and his troubles would help, even though it was only to children. Marlin faintly smiled, took a seat upon Crush's shell, and began. "Well, ok. I came from a reef long, long way from here."

"Oh, this's gonna be good, I can tell," Dory grinned to the Turtles, who then nestled closer to her, getting ready for his tale.

Marlin warmed up to his story, enlivened by the wide, waiting gazes. "And my son, Nemo . . . see, he was mad at me, and maybe he wouldn't have done that if I hadn't been so tough on him. Anyway, he swan out into the open water to this boat and when these divers appeared and I tried to stop the boat, but the boat was too fast. So, we swam out in the ocean to follow him . . ."

And so the Clownfish began the long tale of his adventures he relived along with his new partner. His tale wasn't exaggerated, he carefully telling the right details, but the very emotions, the suspense hanging in every spoken word held the Turtles in constant enjoyment, drinking in the tale. Some of the Turtles began telling to their parents and pals nearby, retelling the stories, exaggerating a bit, stretching the reality a bit, but remaining true to the tale. Like every other place on the entire planet, word traveled faster than the speed of the EAC. One by one, the listeners became storytellers and passed on the incredible tale of a timid Clownfish who braved every danger to find his stolen son.

The tale spread everywhere the fishes went, but most importantly, it traveled southward, overnight, until, at the next morning at the Sydney Harbor, it arrived to the ears of a friendly Pelican who knew a distinguished young lad who was taken away from his father . . .

"Mine! Mine! Mine!"

Perching on his favorite rock, the sun bathing his feathers, Nigel scowled sourly at a flock of his cousins - cousins that he'd be very happy to disown - Seagulls. Numbered in tens or so, they were always at where food was available and chanted their one-word warble that would eventually drive anybody insane and ended up throwing their food to silence the Seagulls. The warble was shrill and very piercing to his ears and Nigel fought against one of the urges to throw his own breakfast at them in order to shut them up.

Behind him, on another group of rocks, his Pelican flock was successfully ignoring the Seagulls, engrossed in an fascinating tale.

Nigel was almost able to turn a deaf ear on the warble and ready to wolf down a crab. He then flinched at the increasing volume. He whirled around and bellowed, "Would you just SHUT UP?! You're rats with wings!"

Muttering, not caring if the Seagulls finally perceived his words or ignored him, Nigel smoothed down his feathers and grinned at his snapping breakfast. Then he stopped. He heard a name that he recently knew. "Nemo?" He gazed over to the Pelicans, who was speaking something about finding Nemo. He was puzzled; how could the little lad's name be known all the way down here from the Barrier Reef?

"Mine! Mine! Mine!"

The Pelican bristled and hurled the crab toward them. "There! You happy?!" He watched in disgust as the Gulls literally stumbled after the rolling crab before he rejoined his flock. "Hey, wait! Tell me about Nemo."

The lucky crab was clever enough to fool the hungry Gulls by spinning one of his pinchers in a hypnotic motion. "Wooo . . .  Hye-ah!" With a mocking snap, he flipped back into the harbor waters.

"Mine?"

Nigel was astonished and excited. He knew that Nemo wouldn't believe him at all! Nemo will get his surprise! "Brilliant!" he laughed when the storyteller mentioned that a Clownfish was heading for the harbor for the little Nemo. He took off, eager to pass on the story.

Meanwhile, Nemo was resting in the helmet, silent and brooding. The failure of breaking the filter did it. He grew depressed with the fact that in three days, he will be taken away once again, this time by the fish killer. He often evoked images of him being shaken in the bag by her and feeling his life seeping away. He couldn't stop thinking about it, and not even the fishes aided assuring the fear and the pain. Gill was no better, either. He sulked inside the skull statue, refusing to speak to anybody, even Peach. The Tank Gang didn't show much concern to their leader; they've experienced his moody moments. Besides, they were more worried about Nemo. He was the one who had to face his death soon.

The lad once again glanced up to the picture of the fish killer, again reminding him of the failure, and again sighed.

Floating overhead, Bloat, Gurgle, Bubbles, and Deb were watching Nemo, out of his view.

"Is he doing okay?" the Humbug quietly asked Bloat, her blue eyes wide with helplessness.

The Blowfish answered back with a sympathetic frown.

Gurgle cupped his mouth and gazed at his three pals expectantly, "Whatever you do, don't mention D-A-R-"

He froze in guilt as Nemo swam out from his spot. "It's okay," he softly voiced as he passed the Royal Gamma, "I know who you're talking about."

Gurgle received a severe slap on his head from Bloat.

The Clownfish sighed to himself. It was useless to brood over his failure. He couldn't make up by doing it again; he was too scared to experience the sucking sensation and the deafening wail of the gears again. All he could do was apologize to Gill and hope that his second father would forgive him. With a petrified look up to the sucking tube, he then hurried over to the skull statue.

"Gill?" When the solemn voice didn't answer, Nemo peered in one of the eye sockets. The Moorish Idol was almost invisible because of his black markings against the dimness, but the white stripes and the ruby eyes stood out. "Gill . . . ?"

The eyes shifted at him briefly, then averted away. "Hey, Sharkbait." Shame coated his scarred face.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't stop -"

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry." A hint of yearning appeared. "I was so ready to get out, so ready to taste the ocean that I was willing to put you in danger to get there." Gill closed his eyes and shook his head gently. "Nothing should be worth that. I'm sorry that I couldn't get you to your father, kid."

Outside, panting, Nigel flapped his wings, heading for the dentist's office, excited to tell the story he heard. Then he gasped in dismay - the bloody dentist shut the window! AGAIN! He wildly tried to stop his flight, but -

WHAM!

The fishes merely reacted at the crash with surprise, immediately relaxed afterward. However, Dr. Sherman was working, preparing to pull out a bad tooth. At the crash, he yanked it out. "What the - ?!"

The scream was painful and shrill, and the Diver slapped his hands over his swelling mouth, staring at his dentist, wondering if this visit should be his last.

Dr. Sherman glanced at the tooth in his hand and chuckled good-naturedly. "That's one way to pull a tooth, eh?" He walked up to the window - which was open by mysterious attempts - and frowned. "Darn kids! Well, good thing I pulled out the right one, eh, Prime Minister?"

Nigel peered inside, seeing the dentist departing. "Hey, psst."

"Oh, Nigel," Peach was saying, her eyes on the Divers, "You just missed an extraction."

"Have he loose the periodontal ligament yet - " The Pelican slapped himself. "What am I talking about? Where's Nemo? I gotta talk to him!"

Along with Gill at his side, the curious Nemo neared the wall, where the rest was already waiting. "What's it?" He wondered what Nigel had to say.

Nigel was enthusiastic to tell what he heard, his eyes bright. "Your dad's fighting the entire ocean looking for _you!_"

The lad was astonished. His father traveled the ocean? "My dad? Really?"

The Pelican nodded. "He's traveled hundreds of miles, battling sharks and jellyfish - "

"Sharks? That can't be him . . ." Now he knew the tale was wrong. His father wouldn't fight a shark. He was too frightened to do anything except stay home. Nemo averted away, not wanting this false hope to encourage him.

Nigel noticed the frown and tried to recall the father's name among his memory to prove that he was telling the truth. "What was his name? Some sort of sport fish? Tuna? Trout?"

"Marlin?" Nemo hazarded to let his hopes rise a bit.

"Marlin! The little Clownfish from the reef!"

The lad beamed. The tale was real! His father was searching for him! And he faced down a shark! Dread and dejection evaporated, replaced with hope and pride. He laughed to the nearby Bubbles and Gill, "That's my dad! He took on a shark!"

Nigel grinned knowingly. "I heard he took on three."

Now the entire Tank Gang gawked in incredulity. "Three sharks?" Gill murmured.

"That's 4,800 teeth!" Bloat calculated.

The Pelican then continued the tale. "After you was caught by Diver Dan out there, your father followed the boat like a maniac."

"Really?"

"He's swimming, giving it all he's got, and three gigantic sharks capture him and he blows them up and dives thousands of feet and gets chased by a monster with huge teeth! He ties this demon to a rock, and what's his reward? He gets to battle an entire jellyfish forest! Now he's with a bunch of sea turtles on the E.A.C., and the word is he's heading this way, right now, to Sydney!"

The Tank Gang cheered, inspired by the unbelievable tale. Gill smiled lightly and turned to Nemo, saying, "He was looking for you after all, Sharkbait . . ." The Clownfish wasn't at his side, had vanished. The rest looked around in puzzlement, then Gill caught a glimpse of orange. Nemo was near the filter, picking up a pebble in his mouth. For the moment, the Tank Gang was confused, then Gurgle realized his plan first.

"He's swimming to the filter!"

"Sharkbait!" He couldn't believe that Nemo was actually going ahead with the failed plan. What was he thinking? Gill darted, trying to catch him. But with a new determination, Nemo dauntlessly leaped into the filter. Gill gazed at the spinning wheel with apprehension, truly afraid for the little lad. What if he failed again? Not now when his father was so close to finding him! Diving back in, the Moorish Idol then ordered his companions to aid him. Together, they pulled out the kelp plant, using the same plant to pull the lad out like they did the last time. They hurried as fast as they could, calling out at him to grab on -

_Clank._

The Tank Gang froze, gasping. That was the sound of the gear stopping. Did that mean Nemo was trapped in the gears? Heart beating rapidly, Gill tried to peer inside the filter, trying to find a shadow that was Nemo, hoping that he was still alive. He didn't know if he would be able to face the Tank Gang, not when his plan failed twice and killed their newest friend. "Nemo!" he called with trepidation. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can hear you."                            

He wasn't inside the filter! He was behind them! Whirling around, the Tank Gang was shocked to see Nemo just fine, grinning with triumph. They then realized - Nemo succeeded the plan! The filter was broken!

Gill was grinning openly and proudly. "Sharkbait, you did it!"

Gurgle embraced the Clownfish in happiness. "Sharkbait, you're . . . covered with GERMS!" He let go, swiftly darting away, staring at his dirty fins.

The Moorish Idol laughed. "That took some guts, kid."

He then gathered the fishes around, having to wait a moment while Jacques obediently cleansed the trembling Gamma's fins, and revealed a new plan. "Alright, gang, we have less than 48 hours before Darla gets here. This tank will get dirty in that time, but we'll help it along any way we can. Jacques?"

"_Oui_?"

"No cleaning."

"I shall resist."

"Now, be as gross as we can. Think dirty thoughts. We will make this tank so filthy that the dentist will have to clean it."

Burps erupted from Bloat, eventually making the tank water filthier.

"Good work!"

Nemo laughed. Soon, he will be with his father! He knew now that he caused the plan to work, nothing will stop him from getting to his father.

A/O:

Dude! You so groovy, Crush! Excellent! Awesome . . . Er, I can't think of anything Californian. I don't exactly speak Californian anyway. ^^;;

Ok, I don't know if it was just me, but I've noticed that there is a continuance in the movie. Crippled right sides. First, there is Nemo with his gimpy fin, then Gill with his destroyed fin, and now Dory with her scars, all on their right sides. Were the Pixar Dudes trying to imply something? Hmmmm . . .


	11. Hhhheeellllooo!

Disclaimer:

A record player (That's an old-fashioned CD player for you 21st Century kids) is sitting quietly on the sea floor, slightly rusting. JC swims in, carrying a large black record disc. He gently places it on and begins turning the crank (Because it's stupid to play with electricity near or in water, kids). The record player coughs out a cloud of silt, then finally works. JC departs as the record player 'sings' the disclaimer.

"Attention! The disclaimer is this: Debbie (Dai-chan) doesn't own 'Finding Nemo' at all. Neither of you do. Only the Pixar dudes do.  Got it? We know where you live, so you better agree with that. Now here is Chapter Nine - Nine - Nine - Nine - Nine - "

The needle skips at the word, beginning to sound like the terrifying chant of the infamous seagulls' calls. Dot swims in, carrying a huge mallet. She gives the player a one nice smack. The record player squeaks and continues the disclaimer. Dot departs, pleased with herself.

"Here is the Chapter Nine, so enjoy! _OOooo-ggaarrrrooo-aaaaaa - _!"

Thrown by someone, the mallet glides by and crashes into the record player. The player whimpers at the abuse, but finally groans before it collapses into rusted pieces. Off-screen, JC is annoyed.

"A mating call, Dot?"

"I can't help it if I want Gurgle."

"That's a _crane _call!"

"Oh."

Chapter Nine: Hhhheeeeellllloooooo

He knew now that he was nearer to Sydney than before, nothing will stop him from getting to his son.

Marlin felt a familiar spark of hope, caressing it gingerly since he and Dory were taken to the E.A.C. He began to believe that it was possible for him to find his son, despite all the delays and dangers he had faced. He sincerely looked forward to see his son and hug him and tell him that he loved him. He didn't want to have this hatred happening between them again. He didn't want to lose him again.

The E.A.C. had become tremulous, unsteady, as it approached Sydney. Marlin felt like he was in the center of a sea-quake, the waters violently quivering against his body. He was a bit nervous at the trembles, but Dory appeared undisturbed. Beside him, she was gazing around in wide-eyed anticipation for something to happen. They were hovering on Crush's shell, the shell's shelter lessening the trembles by a degree. Crush had told them that they needed to depart through an eddy that coiled off at the edge of the Sydney Harbor. There, they will continue until they arrived to a place called a Dock. 

Marlin was both hopeful and anxious. Hope that he would find his son waiting for him there, and anxiety toward the emotions his son might be feeling toward him.

The mellow Turtle then voiced out the closing of the exit. "Alright, we're here, dudes! Get ready! Your exit's coming up, man!"

Not knowing what an eddy looked like, the Clownfish searched the sides of the E.A.C and saw nothing. "Where? I don't see it!"

The excited Dory then tugged at his fin and pointed. "Right there! I see it! I see it!"

He looked at where she pointed. Far ahead, there was a thick white current, edging off the main current, whirling downward into a wild-looking swirl. It appeared rough and unstable. "You mean that swirling vortex of terror?!" he worriedly questioned.

"That's it, dude."

"Of course, it is." Danger seemed to have an attraction on him.

"Ok, first," the Ancient turned to the fishes upon his back, "Find your exit buddy."

Marlin was staring at the eddy with doubt, then his breath was knocked out when Dory silently tightened her fins around him and yanked him close.

"Do you find your exit buddy?"

"Yes!" Dory responded. In her iron grip, Marlin expressed an irritated grimace, trying to wiggle out.

"Squirt will give you a rundown of a proper exiting technique."

Squirt drifted to his father's side and flashed a childish grin at the fishes. "Good afternoon! We will have a great jump today!" He avidly gestured, his voice rising in pitch with excitement. "Ok, crank a hard cutdown as you hit the wall. There's a screaming bottom turn, so watch out! And remember, rip it, roll it, and punch it!"

The fishes stared, each with a different look. Dory looked nonplused, but expectant, as always. Marlin, however, gave the young Turtle a look of blank agitation before he uttered to her, ". . . It's like he's trying to speak to me, I know it!" He pushed her away, turning to Squirt. "You're really cute, but I don't know what you're _saying_! Say the first thing again?"

"Ok, Jellyman!" Crush shouted. "Go, go, go!"

Squirt drifted behind the fishes and, with a wide sweep, shouldered them off into the eddy. The eddy had a powerful force and Marlin felt it around him, pushing and pulling all at once. He couldn't steady himself, the waters spinning in front of his sight, dizzying him. Dory chortled, waving her fins in playful delight, loving every itch of the travel. At first, Marlin was screaming with terror, struggling against the waters, but then, he felt the same sense of elation he had before while swimming through the jellyfish forest. This was fun! Tumbling, rolling, and spinning through the wild ride roused up the ecstasy, and soon, his screams of terror altered into chortles of passion, mingling with her delightful laughter.

The eddy softened its wild spins into a lazy whirl, sending the laughing fishes into calm waters. 

"Whoo!" Dory threw her fins wide, then glanced to Marlin, who was still guffawing. She was surprised to see him laughing and that triggered a warm smile on her lips.

He turned to the Blue, orange eyes aglow. "That was . . . fun! I actually enjoyed that!"

She turned her gaze upward and waved. "Hey, look, turtles!"

In the E.A.C., Crush remained behind, making sure the fishes made the travel safely. He then laughed, flapping his flippers against the fast waters, calling, "Most excellent! Now, turn your little fishy tails around and swim straight on through to Sydney!" Several young Turtles landed upon him, also waiting at the end. "No worries, man!"

Marlin waved, beaming. "No worries, man! Thank you, dude Crush!"

A chorus of "Good-bye, Jellyman!" and "See you around, Jellyman!" piped from the youngsters, Squirt being the loudest.

Crush waved farewell. "Tell your little dude I said hi, okay?" he said before he turned to his swim.

With a warm feeling in his chest, Marlin watched them departing, knowing that he will miss their mellowness and their leisurely way of life. "Nemo would have loved this . . ." he murmured, then recalled one of the questions his son asked before he was taken away. This was an answer waiting for him! "Oh, wait, Crush! I forget!" The Turtle was distant, but did hear his voice, and slowed down. "How old are you?"

The laughter was proud. "150, dude! And still young! Rock on!"

He was astonished at that, remembering that his son had told him Turtles live up to a hundred. This would be a surprise to Nemo, as well. "150! 150! I gotta remember that!"

Dory was grinning at the new energy in him, making him seem younger than he was. She then glanced up, and her scarlet eyes widened. "Whoa . . ."

He didn't believe what he saw. It was like two separate waters floating in the same area, much like the E.A.C. and the calmer waters. These strange-looking waters weren't calm or rapid, however. It was dirtier. He didn't know how dirty it was, but it was surely dirty enough to be noticed right away. Merely looking at it made him slightly nauseous. Whatever made these waters dirty?

"We going in there?" Dory whispered, her eyes still on the murky water.

"Yep." He wasn't too surprised to find that he wasn't afraid to go on. He wasn't determined, either, to swim in the murky waters.

"_'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney'_?"

"Yep. We're gonna swim straight through." 

The Clownfish took a courageous inhale and moved on into the dirty waters, the Blue remaining close. Despite her swimming song, in which she used to cheer the dark mood up, Marlin wasn't that afraid. This area was the Sydney Harbor, only one more step before he arrived to the Dock. Then, there was where he will find his son, for sure. He looked forward to the meeting.

Although . . . 

After swimming through the murky waters, he began to wonder how long had they swam. A couple of minutes? An hour? More than that? He had no clue. The murky waters looked the same to him everywhere he went. He began to feel the old twitch of apprehension, and he tried to ignore it. 

"Boy, this's taking awhile," he informed Dory.

"How about we play a game?"

"Ok." Might as well to let her play. It would help keep his mind off the worry.

"Ok, I'm thinking of something orange and it's small . . ."

"It's me."

"Right!"

A bit later . . .

"It's orange and small . . ."

"It's me."

"Alright, Mr. Smartypants!"

Some time later . . .

"It's orange and small and white stripes and - "

"Me, and the next one, just a guess, me."

Dory stared at him with bafflement. "That's just scary."

Marlin stopped, now truly anxious. They were traveling too long, in these darned waters, destroying precious time. He wasn't furious, but merely upset. He eyed a speck floating in the waters, identical to all other specks, but he was trying to figure out what was going on. "Wait, wait, wait, I've definitely seen this floating speck before." He darted a bit forward, squinting. "And that means we've passed it before, and that means we've been swimming in circles, and that means we're not going _straight_!"

Not seeing Dory, who was quietly floating behind him, Marlin crudely shoved her aside, startling her.

"Hey, hey!" She was hurt, but then was bewildered at the growing panic on his face.

"Get to the surface," he demanded, heading upward. "We'll figure it out up there. Let's go!"

"Whoa, hey!" Dory grabbed on his tail. With amazing strength, she yanked him down, sending him spinning backward. She held on his cheeks and pulled his face close to hers. He felt his panic rapidly vanishing when he regarded the serious frown on her face. Then she smiled gently. "Relax . . . Take a deep breath."

Letting him go, she took a deep breath. Half-obeying, Marlin followed, giving off a weak exhale. Strangely, it did help, easing the worry, but he was still irritated with the change of plans. He was trapped in the murky waters and he didn't know what else to do.

"Now, let's ask someone for directions," she was saying, beaming.

"Fine," he growled. "Who do you want to ask, this speck? There's nobody here!"

She chuckled, not noticing his increasing irritation. "Well, there has to be someone here. It's the ocean, silly. We're not the only two here. Ok . . ." She paused, staring at the empty waters. "Ok, nobody here. Nope. Nada." While Marlin clenched his teeth to keep himself from screaming, Dory remarked a darker spot against the waters. It was tiny, but obviously, it was a fish. "There's someone! Hey, excuse -"

"Wait, Dory!" Marlin shot off in front of her, stopping her. "It's my turn!" He didn't like the sight of that shadow. It was moving too slow, too mysterious. It could be anything. Keeping her gaze on his face, he assumed, "I'm thinking something dark and mysterious. It's a fish we don't know! If we ask it for directions, it could ingest us and spit out our bones!"

The Blue gave him an appalled look. "What's it with men and asking for directions?"

"I don't want to play the gender card right now," he defended, quickly looking to the shadow. "Let's play the _'Let's Not Die'_ card."

She watched him for a second, then her lips pulled back into what he later called the Dory smirk, her eyes half-closed in a visage of sagacity. It was like she wasn't Dory at all. "You want to get out of here?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then how are we gotta do that unless we give it a shot and hope for the best?"

Marlin was desperate. How can he make her understand? It was dangerous to ask for help from strangers, especially the ones who moved in the shadows! "Dory, you don't fully understand -"

"Come on. Trust me on this."

He paused, recalling the same words he heard before - moments before they were surrounded by the jellyfish forest. Feeling a heartbeat of painful remembrance, he gazed over to her scars. The scars were healing, but they were colored dark red, startling against her blue scales. She appeared unfazed by the scars right now, but, earlier, she did ask him about them in puzzlement. When he couldn't face her, the Turtles helped out filling her in. He didn't know if she would recall the scars next time, but he knew he will. The scars were the result of his refusal of trusting Dory. His refusal almost caused their deaths. He didn't want to betray the trust she had in him, and definitely, he didn't want to lose the trust he had in himself. This time he just had to trust her . . .

Marlin gazed up to her bright smile, seeing that she was resolute to help him out. He shifted aside. "Alright."

Dory's smile widened in thanks, and she called over to the shadow, "Excuse me? Whoo-hoo! Little fella?" The shadow didn't move, didn't respond at all, and that unnerved Marlin. She then jabbed his side, disappointed. "Don't be rude. Say hi!"

The Clownfish made a weak grin. "Heh, hello."

"His son, Bingo - "

"Nemo."

"Nemo was taken to . . . ?"

"Sydney."

_"_Sydney! And it's really, really important that we get there as fast as we can, so can you help us out?" When the shadow still didn't answer, Dory then smiled with reassurance. "Come on, little fella. Come on."

Marlin then realized why the shadow didn't talk back, didn't move fast enough to convince him that it was a fish. It was too far. He gulped, trying to imagine how big this fish could be. " . . . Dory, _I'm _a little fella. I don't think _this's _a little fella."

Sure enough, it was big. Judging from the distance, the shadow could be four or five times larger than Dory, or even ten. It was a Whale, apparently, as it lazily shifted to its side, showing its long body and wide tail. It was difficult to tell what kind, but it was a Whale, simply enough.

Dory frowned absently. "Maybe he only speaks whale . . ." She took a deep breath and spoke in an odd, lengthy drawl.

"Moooooowwwweeeeeennneeeeddttoooooooffiiinnddhhhhhiiiiiisssssoooooon."

Marlin blinked at her attempt of speaking whale. Whales weren't pretty good with speaking fish, and their low, trembling voices were suited only for their language. But the way Dory spoke, it sounded like she was stretching every word into a disorientated call. "Dory? Dory?" He glanced nervously at the Whale, wondering what it thought of the attempt. "What are you doing? Are you sure you speak whale?"

"Caaaaannnnyyyyooouuuugiiiveeuuuusssdiiiiireectiooons?"

"Dory! Heaven knows what you're saying!" The Whale appeared displeased and turned to vanish in the murky waters. "See, he's swimming away."

"Coooommmeeebbaaaaack," Dory pleaded, eventually running out of breath.

Marlin was frowning in similar displeasure. "He's not coming back. You offended him."

She didn't look troubled. "Maybe a different dialect. Moooooooooohhhmmmmmoooooooooooo!"

"Dory!" The Clownfish wanted her to stop this silly effort. He didn't want to upset her, grinning uneasily. "That's not whale. You're speaking upset stomach."

The Blue frowned at his weak attempt of humor, then turned to the venture of the whale language. "Maybe I should try humpback."

"Don't . . ."

"Wooooooooohh! Woooooooohh!"

He flinched at the ghastly sounds. "You actually sound sick!"

"Maybe louder? RAH! RAH!"

"Don't do that!" Marlin buried his head in his fins agonizingly. Out of all the fishes in the oceans, he had to have a Regal Blue Tang who was scatterbrained, annoyingly optimistic, and fluent in Whale. What were the odds?

Dory covered her mouth in embarrassment. "Too much orca. Didn't it sound orca-ish?"

Finally! "It doesn't sound orca. It sounds like nothing I've heard."

"OOOOOooooooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo!"

He gave up, muttering to himself, "It's just as well. He might be hungry."

She paused, smirking at him like he was forgetful. "Whales don't eat Clownfish, silly. They eat krill."

An instant later, a group of tiny shrimps swam past them from behind, appearing panicked about something.

"Oh, look, krill!" Dory pointed, grinning.

His orange eyes widened in realization. Just then, he noticed that the surrounding waters were a bit darker than usual, and the quietness hung nearby, heavy and piercing. Slowly, he turned around in apprehension. WHALE! It was about to open its mouth! He grabbed on Dory's fin. "Move, Dory! Move!" Both tried to fight against the force, but it was absurd, for the Whale was swallowing water faster than they could swim. They screamed as the mouth closed in on them.

A/O:

The whale language is one of the funniest languages I've ever got to see. :D Dory's facial gestures make me laugh every time I watch her. She does have a Jim Carrey face. Have you noticed that? :D Simply a cutie, that Dory. But I do love Marlin, too, when he tries to stop her from speaking whale. I just love this scene between them.


	12. Half empty or Half full?

Disclaimer:

Dot and JC are staring at a glass of water. 

"I'm telling you, JC, this's half-full!"

"I must disagree, Dot. It's clearly half-empty."

Dot yanks on her dorsal fin with fins, like pulling out hair in frustration. "Argh! I can't work with this silly glass! Half-full! Half-empty! It looks the same!"

JC simply points upward, still staring at the glass. "Blame Mademoiselle. She made us do this."

_Hey! You want to do the disclaimer!_

"Then why the glass?" Dot asks.

_Because it's fun to tease Muses._

"Oooh." Dot rolls her golden eyes as she comes to JC's side. "Mademoiselle's got a nasty side."

"Wonders who you got it from." JC glances at her with a sly look.

Dot frowns, then gazes down to the glass. "You've been staring at the glass lately. What do you see, O' seer?"

It's JC's turn to frown at her. "I'm just pondering about the state the glass is in. Half-full or half-empty."

"Who cares?"

_I do. Look, the glass is inside the water with you guys, silly. It's not half-empty or half-full. It's full. Got it?_

JC and Dot again stare at the glass, then around them. The glass. The ocean. The glass.

"I dunno. It looks empty."

"No, no, Dot, look. The glass is full with seawater, see? It's full."

"But then there's nothing in the glass, obviously. Empty."

"Full."                

"Empty!"

"Full!"

_See? That's fun to play with Muses' minds. Considering that I'm playing with my mind, too. Fun. Good thing I don't own _Finding Nemo_. Otherwise, the characters need therapy after I play with their minds. *grins*_

Chapter Ten: Half-empty or Half-full?

The glass world with its crystal walls, its landscapes and homes, had changed from its cleanliness into a green filthiness that seemed to reign over all.

Gill and Nemo were proud of the conclusion. The plan worked. The filter had stopped working, stopping cleaning the water. In mere less than forty-eight hours, the tank had become a world of scum. The water had turned alkaline, colored a faint greenish-black hue. The scum blanketed the walls and objects within with a new green coat, also smeared the Tank Gang's bodies slightly greener.

Gill grinned at the filthy walls as if they were his art. "Would you look at that? Filthy. Absolutely filthy." He turned to the little Clownfish. "All thanks to you, kid. You made it possible." As Nemo gave a smile of pride, the Moorish Idol glanced toward another wall and frowned. "Jacques! I said no cleaning."                

The tiny Shrimp stopped cleaning off at the corner of the wall and looked back in guilt. There was a scum moustache around his mouth. "I'm ashamed."

Peach was laughing with delight, pushing scum from the wall with her arms. "Look! Scum angel!"

Gurgle had the worst time adjusting to the filthiness. Being 'germophobic', he freaked out at the sight of the horrible scum, his purple eyes as wide as they could get. He tried very hard not to touch the scum, but his attempts proved difficult, whenever he 'accidentally' touched more scum after trying to duck away from a scum speck. His terrified screams became common by the minute.

Bubbles stared at a new, weird bubble that rose out from his treasure chest. It was black and dirty, and it didn't move as fast as the other bubbles. Nevertheless, he was delighted to see a bubble. "Bubbles! I love bubbles!" He attempted to kiss it, but it burst in his face and he coughed out murk.

Deb was worried, not toward the filthiness, but toward the disappearance of her 'sister'. She swam near the walls, trying to find a glance of black and white stripes. "Flo? Have anybody seen Flo? Flo!"

Halting her entertainment, Peach fell silent when she eyed the clock on the wall. She was the only one who can read numbers as well as words, and so when she noticed the usual time for the entrance of the dentist every morning, she got ready. "9:00 and cue dentist." As Dr. Sherman just then marched in, the fishes quietly pretended not to notice him. Secretly, they were hoping that Dr. Sherman will notice the murky tank in time to clean it before his niece arrived. It was the only time for Gill's plan to work. It had to happen before Darla came. Peach, being the 'look-out', calmly watched the dentist conversing with a young boy Diver on the chair. It was her job to warn the fishes whenever Dr. Sherman neared the tank.

Finally, his nerves calmed by a tad, Gurgle tried his best to ignore the dirtiness surrounding him. Unfortunately, for him, Bloat wasn't making it easy on him. The Gamma was horrified as he watched the Blowfish gleefully rolling in the scum-filmed pebbles. His rolls had stirred more scum up in the water, darkening it, and Gurgle resisted screaming as the scum clung on his scales. Then his disgust deepened when Bloat swallowed a bit of scum.

"Bloat, that's _disgusting!_" he cried, shakily pointing.

The Blowfish gave him an amused smirk. "Tastes pretty good to me." Then he burped out a great long belch right in his neurotic friend's face.

"Eeew!" Gurgle hysterically gazed at his other friends, disbelieved that they didn't show any disgust toward the dirty tank. He shook his fins in frenzy, croaking, "People, don't you realize that we're swimming in our own - ?!"

"Shh!" Peach twisted off the wall, gave him a brief glare that silenced him, and warned, "Here he comes!"

The Tank Gang darted for their hiding places, which were inside the sunken ship. They watched as Dr. Sherman removed the tank lid and expressed astonished disgust. "Crikey, what a state." He dipped in a finger and brushed off scum, forming a clear line on the wall. He glanced at the thick scum with puzzlement, wondering how a tank could get so dirty that fast.

"Barbara, what time is the first appointment tomorrow?"

"10 am, luv."

Dr. Sherman cleaned his finger on the young Diver's bib. "Leave it open, would you? I've gotta clean the tank before Darla comes here."

The fishes slowly emerged out from the ship and grinned at the dentist's decision. The middle part of the plan worked! The plan was beginning to look realistic. Maybe they could actually get out and become free at last. 

Gill was most excited, glad that one of his plans finally worked this time. Grinning, he turned to the ship where Nemo was still hiding. "Sharkbait, did you hear that?"

"Yay, he's gonna clean the tank!" The fishes were puzzled, trying to find the tiny Clownfish, but finally, the lad squeezed out from a porthole, grinning. "We're gonna be clean again!" In fact, he needed to be clean again; from his squeezes through the ship, the scum stuck on his scales, forming him into the Scum Monster.

Gill chuckled at the bright eyes from inside the Scum Monster. "You ready to see your dad, kid?"

"Yeah!" Nemo excitedly nodded, brushing away scum.

"Of course, you do." The Moorish Idol led him to the window that overlooked the harbor. He gestured toward it, saying, "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if your father is waiting in the harbor right now."

"Yeah . . ." Earlier, Nemo looked at the harbor with sadness and rejection, knowing that there was no way for him to get there and find his father. But now, thanks to Gill's plan, he finally regained hope. His father will be waiting for him, right there in the harbor. He can't wait to see his face once again, hug him once again, and tell him that he truly loved him. He watched the harbor with anticipation.

_Don't worry, Daddy! I will be there soon as I can!_

***

Marlin wasn't happy.

Well, being unhappy would be an understatement. He was frustrated. Furious. Hopping mad - pardon me - swimming mad.

It was understandable for him to be that enraged, for he was trapped inside the mouth of a Whale. After that imbecilic Blue used her charms to lure the Whale, to both their surprise, the Whale actually came and swallowed them up! Oddly, the Whale simply filled his mouth with water and allowed the fishes to swim inside. He often wondered how come the Whale didn't eat them yet. That didn't help relive his anger, though. He was so angry that he began to search for a way out by ramming upon the baleen wall.

He used the swells formed from the whale's lazy strokes, increasing his speed for ramming. Of course - because it just had to be! - the baleen wall was too thick to be able to break apart. Did he give up? No! He kept on trying and trying until his head ached from the pressure. His anger didn't calm down at all. It was fueled by the frustration he got from being unable to break through and from the annoying laughter of Dory. She forgot about her stupid attempt and was riding the swells, enjoying every moment of it. The sight of the Blue floating, her eyes sparkling, her laughter enraged him. He didn't believe that he let her tag along when she was nothing but trouble. 

Marlin was blinded with the haze of anger as he attempted to ram upon the baleen wall once again. No success, and he glared at it with fury. He then bristled at the giggles. "Whoa, here comes the big one!" Dory laughed, floating on her back, toward the throat. "You gotta try it."

He turned to swim in the swell, hissing, "Would you just stop that?"

She righted herself and looked over to him with puzzlement. "Why? What's wrong?"

"We're in a whale, don't you get it?!"

"A whale?"

"A _whale_!" Marlin sharply turned at her with a blazing glare. He received a brief moment of bittersweet satisfaction when she cowered. "You had to ask for help!" Another swell came in and following it, he jabbed his fin up. "And now we're stuck in here!"

She didn't sound worried, but pleased. "Wow, a whale! I speak whale."

Marlin's anger exploded. "No, you're insane! You can't speak whale!" His exploding anger was rapidly replacing with growing aghast panic. He became afraid. He was afraid that he was now in a place where it was impossible for him to get out. He was afraid that there was no way for him to find his son. The sight of the mouth began closing in on him, as if was proving that his hopes were worthless. "I have to get out of here!" He yelled to particularly no one as he darted for the baleen wall. Wham! " I have to get to my son!" Wham! His words were broken by repeated, agitated rams. "I have to tell - " _Wham!_ " - him - " _Wham_! " - how - " _Wham!_ " - old - " _Wham!_ " - sea - " _Wham! _" -turtles - " _Wham!_ " - are . . . !"

His panic was then changed into profound grief and dismay. It was useless . . . He was trapped. He couldn't get out. It was too late for him. It was too late for his son. He will never see him again . . . With a heartbroken sob, Marlin drifted downward onto the Whale's tongue.

Dory drifted past, still laughing with delight at the wild ride. But then she stopped, feeling this odd sensation. Someone was sad. She didn't know how she could know, but she just knew. She then scanned around, perplexed to find that her friend wasn't here. Where was he? Then a weak sniffle attracted her attention. Looking down, she found him. He was laying on the tongue silently, sniffling to himself. Why was he so sad? "Hey . . . You ok?"

She swam down, her heart softening at the absolute sorrow on his face. She couldn't bear seeing her friend being so sad. She wanted to help. She wanted to help him feel better. 'There, there." Her voice was surprisingly soft and gentle, unlike her gleeful voice. "It's alright. It'll be Ok."

Marlin shook his head, his eyes sadly closed. "No, no, it won't."

"Sure, it will. You'll see."

"No. I promised him I'd never let anything happen to him."

His son . . . His son was gone, and he was sad because of that . . . She didn't notice that she was remembering, but her heart yearned to ease his sorrow. Although, the words he was uttering distracted her. What kind of promise was it? "That's a funny thing to promise."

Marlin slowly opened his eyes at the response. "What?"

Once again, Dory showed her other side of sagacity, simply saying, "You can't let _anything _happen to him. Then _nothing _would ever happen to him."

He was startled. Maybe she was right . . . Maybe it was wrong to wish that anything wouldn't happen to Nemo . . . Maybe it was his fault. Maybe it was his mistake. He recalled the last moments he had with his son before he was taken. _'I hate you'. _Nemo didn't hate him just because he did. He hated him for being too protective. He was too worried over Nemo's safety, over possibilities that would happen or would not happen, that he didn't let Nemo experience life as he should. He was only a child and childhood happened only once. He was taking the childhood away from him. Maybe . . . he should let Nemo do what he can. 

Marlin gazed up to his friend, again was amazed at the wisdom the forgetful Blue had. 

Dory then beamed. "Not much fun for little Harpo."

The Clownfish felt a slight tug of a quiet smile at his lips. Even though that she seemed wise, she was still forgetful. He closed his eyes, wondering what he can do to regain Nemo's trust and learn how to be a better father. Then his thoughts were distracted when the tongue slightly stirred, and he then noticed that the waters had already calmed down. 

"What's going on?" he quietly mused.

Dory was curious, too, peering around intently. She then shrugged at his question. "Don't know. I'll ask him." She arose just below the surface and began one of her annoying attempts of speaking whale. "Wwhhhhaaaaatttttsssssggoooooiiinnnggggoooooonnn?"

The Whale answered back, and the fishes weren't prepared. They slapped their fins over their agonizing ears. It wasn't that the Whale's voice was loud. It wasn't loud at all, but just large. The very vocal resonance was more than enough to rumble the waters. The voice was very low, muted, and the words were also stretched. Marlin anguished against the rumble, couldn't understand the strange resonances. Dory listened carefully, undisturbed. 

Finally, the rumble eased down and Dory lowered her fins. "I think he says we're stopped."

"Of course, we've stopped!" Marlin growled as he swam up to her side with a warning look. "Stop trying to speak whale. You'll make things worse." He stiffened up at another rumbling sound. But it wasn't the Whale's voice. It was something terrible. "What's that noise?!"

He didn't know what that noise was, but it was something that he didn't want to find out. It was a sucking sound, somewhere near the back of the throat, later became a sloshing sound, as the water was sucked down. His orange eyes widened as he looked up. "Oh, no . . . Look what you did," he hissed over to the perplexed Dory. "The water's going down." The water level, originally near the palate, began sinking in a rapid rate. "It's going down!"

Dory didn't express fear or curiosity. Instead, she inspected the water level with a questioning gaze. "Really? You sure about that?"

"Look! It's already half-empty!"

"Hmm, I'd say it's half-full."

_Stop with that stupid optimism!_ "Stop that! It's half-empty!"

The vocal rumbles came again, this time a bit longer.

Dory was clearly puzzled at the new words. "Ok, that one was a little tougher," she translated. Marlin only half-heard her, his full attention on the water level. "He either wants us to go back to the throat . . . or he wants a root beer float."

He knew it! That was what all the carnivores thinking. Meat! Meat, meat, and _meat_! "Of course he wants us to go there!" Marlin yelled, madly pointing at the throat. "That's eating _us!_" In his growing frustration, he sourly rubbed his tail against a large taste bud. "How do I taste, Moby? Did I taste good? Tell him I'm not interested in being lunch!"

"Ok, heee - "

He later regretted that he slapped over her mouth in order to silence her. Her eyes held total surprise at being slapped, along with the hint of wretchedness underneath the scarlet shade. He couldn't help it. He was so frenzied that he was close to finding his son and yet still trapped in a Whale's mouth, that close to being swallowed, that he cast all his anger on her. He was angry at her, too, for being forgetful, for being optimistic. For that instant, he hated her for her optimism, envied her for the innate innocence . But he didn't stop there after he slapped her. He bellowed out his anger, as well.

_"Stop talking to him!"_

As if the Whale was aggravated toward him for doing harm, the tongue abruptly rose out from the water. Its massive bulk snared the fishes from falling off into the water. Gasping for water, the fishes frantically searched for a fin-hold as they stumbled down the tongue. Finally, they grabbed for a hold on the taste buds, trickles of the water flowing past.

"What's going on?!" Marlin yelled in frustration.

The Blue beamed helpfully, already forgotten all about her wounds. "I will ask. Whaaat-"

"No more whale!" His eyes were ablaze. "YOU CAN'T SPEAK WHALE!"

Dory winced at the bellow, then grimaced. "Yes, I CAN!"

"No, you can't! You think you can do these things, but you can't, _Nemo!_" Then, he stopped, shocked at what he said. Did he recently call Dory by Nemo's name? Why . . . Why did he do that? She wasn't Nemo, and Nemo wasn't her. What made him call her Nemo . . . ? His anger cooled down as he stared right in her eyes. He did see Nemo in her . . . The optimism, the innocence, and the efforts to prove the worthiness. He was shocked to realize that he could've yelled at Nemo just like he did to Dory. Why was he angered at Nemo's virtues? Did he really envy those virtues, the virtues he didn't have? Was that why he made every effort to keep Nemo safe? So that he wouldn't have to experience the same dangers his dad faced? 

It was his mistake. Marlin was stealing Nemo's childhood away. He wasn't letting Nemo live. Just like he did that to Dory right now.

Dory merely stared back, but there was a faint flicker of understanding in her face. It was too faint for him to accept it as credibility, but it was there. 

The Whale then spoke something, the tongue shaking at the resonance.

The Blue became composed and nodded. "Ok." Then she let go!

Marlin quickly grabbed on her yellow fin. _No, Dory! Don't leave me!_

She seemed puzzled that he was keeping her from falling, and then her smile was so gentle that his heart almost softened at it. She spoke calmly, "He said it's time to let go. Everything's gonna be alright."

He wanted to believe her, but the sight of the wide frightening hole that was the throat and her hanging under his tense grip frightened him. "How do you know?" He felt his other fin slipping on the taste bud, and he struggled to tighten it. "How do you know something bad isn't gonna happen?"

Dory blinked. "I don't!"

Marlin stared down the throat. It seemed to be waiting for the fishes to fall in, but all of a sudden, it didn't have the terrible look to it. It looked . . . patient and welcoming. Was she right? There was no way to know first about the danger before experiencing it. The only way to know about the danger was let it happen. Maybe he should stop worrying too much and just let the experience happen. He closed his eyes and silently let go of his grip on the taste bud. 

He remembered a little because he had his eyes closed the whole time. Firstly, he stumbled into the water, then suddenly had the sensation of being pushed forward with the water. Up or down or in any direction, he couldn't tell, tumbling in the flow, then his gills tasted the dryness of the outside water. Opening his eyes, he found himself high in the air. Together, the duo meekly looked down and screamed at the height. They plunged back into the sweet water and regained their balance.

Marlin gazed at himself and Dory. They were safe. No danger happened to them! He then laughed in relief. "Woh! Hahah!" He embraced her, gently holding her face close to his in merriness. She expressed mild surprise, but then grinned at his excited spins. "We're alive!"

They broke through the surface. It was night already, the sky already black with twinkling stars. But the surface was oddly lightened, too. It wasn't touched by any of the stars or even by the moon. Looking around, Marlin saw that he was in a place occupied by boats. Many boats of all sizes silently floated in the night waters, the strange coral structures nearby also lightened. The light was caused by those weird globes floating near tall black posts, casting a yellowish-white unnatural radiance. He thought they were like stars, but made by Divers. Diver stars.

Dory excitedly pointed toward one of the boats, the light coloring her scales a dull blue. "Look! Sy-d-ney!" She was right! The markings looked very familiar to the last word on the mask's strap. "Sydney! Sydney, again!"

They were in Sydney Harbor!

"You were right, Dory!" Marlin agreed. He went into a leaping spin up in the air. He was finally here, finally at the last place just before he could find his son waiting for him. "We made it! We're gonna find my son!"

Splashes attracted their attention and they turned to see the friendly Whale 'waving' farewell with his large tail before he departed. The Whale was simply carrying them to their destination, although in a strange way. Nevertheless, he did help them out.

Marlin grinned and shouted out in whale, "Thaaaannnkkkkyyyyooouuuusssssiiiiiiirrrrrr!"

Dory stared at him with astonishment. "Wow! I wish I could speak whale."

He laughed. "Now, all we gotta do is find the boat that took Nemo."

"Right!"

He again looked around the harbor. There were so many boats to search for the right one. It could take him a couple of days and nights. He didn't lose his hope. He was so close. He will definitely find his son. All he could think was rush up to him and take him gently in his embrace. He smiled and held on her fin. "C'mon, Dory, we can do this!"

A/O: 

I like the whale scene because it's intense - it shows more of Marlin and Dory than before. Hehe, sorry, folks, I'm not a big Dorlin fan here. They do look cute together, but I just don't see it there. Nevertheless, I love it when Dory shows more of her sweetness toward Marlin. No surprise there that the whale scene fuels up the passion of Dorlin fans. ;) 


	13. Darla!

Disclaimer:

"Come _on_. It won't hurt."

"No!"

"She's a fictional character, Dot. She cannot hurt you."

"So? She's scary, man! Look at those _teeth_!"

JC rolls his eyes. Oh, yes, he knows it's disclaimer time, but right now, he has to handle his companion, which is trembling just out of your peripheral vision. Why? Because she has developed a phobia that is so ridiculous that it's not even funny. She has Darlaphobia.

_"Ne dites pas le nom du démon!"_

JC glares at his far right. "She's not real, for the Current's sake! Yes, she's a scary, psycho little demon - "

"Ah-_ha_!"

"But she's just a girl."

"Didn't you _see _the way she shook the poor lad?! A _demon_, I tell you!"

JC takes a deep breath and forms an idea. It has to work. Otherwise, the poor Muses will be taking a scolding lecture from Mademoiselle for being so damn silly.

"I've got an idea, Dot. How about I do this disclaimer alone and you'll do the next disclaimer by yourself?"

"Oh, that would work out . . . Oh! Oh! Now I see your clever plan!"

The Blue sweatdrops.

"You just want to creep out from the sad chapter that you don't want to do the disclaimer. Clever little Blue . . ."

"But . . . it's so sad . . ."

"Grow a backbone, man!"

"I already have one."

"You know what I mean!"

"Do you want to do _this _disclaimer?"

" . . . "

"Glad you see my way. Now shoo before Darla finds you."

"Yeep!"

He again rolls his eyes as Dot darts off. "The pain I suffer, working with her."

_Stop being so pitiful.___

"Sorry. Anyway, ladies and gentlefish, Debbie (Dai-chan) does not own _'Finding Nemo'_. That's all I have to say."

JC then grins devilishly, picking up a waterproofed picture of the little redhead with metal teeth. He darts off to spook Dot.

Just because you are a gentlefish, that doesn't mean you can't have fun.

Chapter Eleven: Darla!

The night brightened into early dawn. The sky turned into a soft blue hue, along with tints of pink and orange near the eastern horizon. The city calmed after one of its wild nights, and humans were just getting ready for yet another day.

The tank in Dr. Sherman's office was always quiet, the residents rarely waking before the rush hour. As they already knew, excitement began at 9 am. Peach was often the first one to wake every day, mainly it was because of the dawn light that shone through the window and struck upon her closed eyes. She blinked, yawning. "Morning . . ." She then halted, remembering. She grinned in excitement. It was the day when Dr. Sherman's demonic niece came to get her birthday present. It was the day when the fishes were supposed to escape. It was the day of freedom! Her eyes were on the newly waking harbor as her voice roused the sleeping fishes. "It's morning, everybody! Today's the day! The sun's shining, the tank is clean, and we're getting out of - " 

She stopped there, her black eyes widening. "The tank is clean?" A quick gaze around the tank convinced her. "_The tank is clean!_"

To the Tank Gang's surprised distress, the tank was already clean. In fact, the water felt somehow different, soft and gentle to their scales and tasting almost as sweet as the actual ocean. They took their time musing at the change of the water, and finally, they searched for the devilish source which ruined the plan. A brand-new filter stood where the broken, old filter was. It was all grey in metal and cold-looking. For some reason, the sight of the filter discomforted them. It was like it was alive, a flat dark red eye blinking and teeth that sucked in water. How did it get in there without the fishes knowing?

"Boss must've installed it while we were sleeping," Gill figured, glaring at the machine with bitterness. Around him, the Tank Gang murmured to each other, expressing their disappointment and irritation toward the filter. Why did Dr. Sherman do it today? The only chance Nemo could have to escape alive was gone, destroyed. It wasn't right.

Gill felt the young Clownfish shifting closer for comfort. He let his fin protectively curling around him. Nemo glanced up to him with anxiety. "What are we gotta do now?"

The Moorish Idol slightly frowned, then gazed up to his friend. "What's it says, Peach?"

Her response was indistinct.

"I can't hear you, Peach!"

The Starfish twisted off the wall and began reading off a booklet. The booklet was clearly an instruction of installing the filter and the directions, as well. It even had a fancy name. "The Aquascum 2003 is an all-purpose, self-cleaning, maintenance-free saltwater purifier, that's guaranteed to extend the life of your aquarium fishes."

Bloat was barely keeping his rage in, glaring at the filter, his cheeks swelled. He then snapped, not wanting to hear more, "Stop it!" He inhaled in water and burst up.

"The Aquascum is programmed to scan your tank environment every . . . five minutes?!"

Gurgle was horrified. "Scan? What does that mean?"

A hissing buzz sounded from the Aquascum, and their attention was turned to it. The fishes froze, alarmed, as a thin ray of dark scarlet light beamed out from the filter. It flattened into a sheer sheet, which 'scanned' the entire tank, the fishes included, their eyes following closely. The light then vanished.

_"Temperature: 82 degrees. Ph Balance: __Normal__."_

The Tank Gang was impressed. "Oooh_._"

"Nice," Peach chuckled weakly.

Gurgle's face twisted into a desperate visage mixed with frustration. He darted close to the filter, clenched his fins, and blared, "Oh, curse you, Aqua_scuuuum_!"

The still-bloated Bloat scowled. "That's it for the escape plan. It's ruined."

Gill gave him a warning glare. He was feeling worried, to his surprise. He would express a bit of impassive concern to any of his friends, but he began to feel great anxiety for the little Clownfish. He was only six and ready to live his life up to the fullest. It was ill-fated for him to experience life too short by having him in an enclosed box with limited expenses, then be shaken to death by a human. It wasn't fair for Nemo. It wasn't right. Gill was determined to get him out of here. Keeping Nemo alive was his top priority.

Apparently, Nemo was thinking the same. He still showed worry, but he didn't lose his composure. He was asking, "What are we going to do about - "        

A frighteningly familiar bell rang. The door bell! She was here!

The fishes stared at each other, gasping out one name that they feared: "Darla!"

Gill bluntly pushed Nemo in the barrel. "Stay low, kid!" Knowing that the lad will obey him, Gill joined the fishes at the wall that faced the waiting room. The humans they saw were only a mother and a worried-looking boy getting ready for his annual check-up. 

"False alarm!" the Blowfish announced.

Sighs of relief echoed in the tank.

"My nerves can't take more of this," Gurgle whimpered, sinking down to the floor.

Already deflated, Bloat was displeased, scowling at the humans as if he wished they were the girl instead so he could throw all his frustration there. "What'll we do when that brat comes?"

"I'm thinking . . ." Gill hated it whenever he failed to think quick enough in risky situations. His plan of breaking the filter failed because that stupid dentist had to be resourceful. He couldn't think of any plan to keep Nemo out of the dentist's sight until Darla departed. 

The sudden yell of Nemo alarmed the fishes and they turned just in time to witness Nemo being trapped by a fish net. He was shouting for help as he was being shoved gently. Gill darted forward and slipped into the fish net. He's done that before. He had taught the rest about school defense. All they needed to do was to get in the fish net altogether and use their force to push the fish net downward until the dentist had to let go. Pressing his face against the biting net, Gill ordered Nemo to aid him swimming down. Soon, the other fishes joined them, their tails adding to the powerful force. Bewildered, Dr. Sherman let the net go. 

Nemo was free!

The Tank Gang laughed with contentment at a job well done. They didn't pay close attention to Nemo at this time. Gill's pride vanished when he again heard the surprised yells. Looking up, he then saw Nemo now in a plastic bag. The dentist tied the ends and placed the bag on the counter.

"Roll, kid!"

"Keep on rolling out of that window!"

"Lean! Lean!"     

Nemo was slightly confused, but then was already persistent to escape. Gill was amazed at the great strength in the little body as he watched the Clownfish hustle the bag toward the open window. If he was his real father, he would be very proud. As he neared, Gill's joy expanded by the second. He was going to make it! _C'mon, kid! Flap your tail!_

Despair plummeted back in when the dentist picked up the bag just before it was ready to roll off. With a chuckle of 'That would be a nasty fall', the dentist returned the bag back to the counter, this time put it in a tray. The Clownfish was now terror-stricken, darting forth and back, uselessly ramming at the bag. The Tank Gang watched in helpless dejection. There was nothing for them to do to rescue Nemo. It was too late. 

The upset Gill was grieved to see Nemo's face full of horror, pressing his good fin against the plastic. His orange eyes were glued on the Moorish Idol, seeking comfort, hope, anything. "Gill! I don't want to be belly-up!"

Gill touched the wall with his good fin, envisioning himself holding Nemo's fin in comfort. He knew it was difficult to keep the anxiety from his voice, but he was sincerely worried. He never felt so helpless, not since one of the Tank Gang's members, Chuckles, was taken away. He can't let Nemo see the failure in his face. "Calm down, kid," he murmured. "I promise you won't go belly-up. Everything will be ok."

The door slammed open. A nearby lamp shattered. A picture fell down.

Darla grinned.

The Tank Gang cowered. 

_"DARLA!"_

***

Nope. Wrong boat.

Marlin muttered to himself as he moved to the next one. Nothing of the boats looked familiar to the boat that took Nemo away. There were many small white boats, but nothing looked the same to the one with the three-tailed spinning end and the chain. But yet another failure didn't bother him. He simply moved on and tried his best to find the right boat. He was so persistent that he didn't get to sleep much last night. After the long travel in the murky waters and the interesting ride inside the Whale's mouth, he and Dory didn't get much sleep, even after a couple of hours. He was too anxious to let himself sleep. He wanted to find the boat as soon as possible. So after hours of sleep, he had dragged Dory out from their sleeping shelter and began looking.

Dory stared at a boat with the drowsy blankness, but still grinned cheerfully. "Any of those boats look familiar to you?"

Marlin shook his head. "No, none of them, but we will keep searching." He dipped his gills to wet them, then jerked his head forward. "C'mon, Dory."

The Blue blinked her eyes, trying to stay awake. She didn't want to disappoint him, didn't want to stop looking for his son. She even stated that to him, so he won't be unhappy. "I'm really excited . . . are you excited . . . ?"

Marlin glanced back and frowned at a great yawn coming out from the Blue. "Aw, Dory, c'mon, wake up." He gently slapped his fin on her cheek, remembering that she was a heavy sleeper. He didn't mean to keep her awake all night, but he wanted to find his son soon. The sooner, the better.

Her eyelids fluttered open, then she seemed to spot something up in the sky, for she gasped, "Duck!"

_Duck?_The Clownfish squinted up in the sun-bright sky. He did see a dark spot, which was growing blacker and bigger. He then chuckled as he turned back to her. "Silly, it's not a Duck. It's . . ." He paused, recalling the loose throat pouch underneath the beak. Only one species of bird had that pouch. " . . . A _Pelican_!"

The hungry Pelican, Gerald, was simply searching for breakfast. He never asked for easy breakfast, for he and all the other birds knew there was never an easy breakfast. That was why he was very astonished to see two tiny fishes swimming at the surface with no sense of safety. He was tempted to go scoop them up, but he stayed at his post, curiously watching as the fishes repeatedly bobbed to the surface and peered at the boats as if were inspecting them for something. He could tell that they were tropical from their bright coloring, but he thought that even the water-foreigners were smart enough not to tease predators and stay deep underwater. 

Yet, they were easy breakfast, and Gerald was no fool to reject an easy breakfast. Little did he know when he bailed them up in his throat pouch, that the two fishes had a serious mission that wasn't meant to be interrupted by anything, not even by Pelicans. As the determined fishes wedged themselves in his throat to avoid being swallowed, Gerald began to wonder if easy breakfast was often that feisty.

Nigel was jolted awake by a rude shove. Blinking against the sunlight, he turned in puzzlement. His flock had five other Pelicans, all perching near a billboard for both sleeping spots and watching the boats in enjoyment. The Pelicans were observing something on the deck, great amusement in their wrinkled faces. The nearest Pelican gestured, toward the dock. "Hey, look. Sun's barely up, and Gerald's got more than he can handle."

Sure enough, Gerald appeared to be choking on something, his wings wildly flapping. Nigel shook his head pityingly and said, "Yeah, reckon somebody help the poor fella."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, right."

Nigel gave his fellow Pelicans a sour frown. It was just like any other Pelican. They liked to watch torture. It amused them. He responded sarcastically, "Don't everybody fly off at once."  He took off and landed beside the choking Gerald. The darker Pelican seemed stunned, his wide eyes darting around in astonishment. Nigel chuckled quietly. "What's the matter, Gerald? Fish got your tongue?"

At that, Gerald opened wide his beak. Indeed, two fishes were gripping on his tongue, the blue and orange faces equally astonished as their would-be predator. Nigel's eyebrows merely rose in mild interest, then further with astonishment. "Love a duck!" With a hard slap on his back, Gerald finally spat the fishes out. 

Nigel then heard the tiny orange fish speaking, "I've got to find Nemo!"

"Nemo?" Nigel took a good look at the fishes and was surprised. One of the fishes looked almost exact to Nemo. A Clownfish! Nemo's father! "Oh, that's him!" Nigel said to the distracted Gerald. "That's the one who's been fighting the whole ocean!" He was excited! Finally, Nemo would get to see his father again! Nigel turned to the dock, beginning to say something, then stopped. No fishes were there. Just puddles of water and saliva. He glanced up and saw the fishes flopping themselves toward the waters. Oh, no, not now! The father needed to know where Nemo was and Nigel knew where! "Wait! Wait!"

A bird meant only one thing, just like sharks, anglerfishes, and even whales. Hunger. Sure, they were 'rescued' from a Pelican, but only to be prepared to be eaten by another Pelican. Birds and fishes weren't meant to be friends. Marlin wasn't planning to stay and patiently listen to whatever the Pelican had to say. Besides, he and Dory were running out of breath. They needed to return back to the waters quickly. Gasping and flipping their bodies in an attempt to approach the waters, the fishes fled, or at least, were trying, while the Pelican was chasing them.

"Keep going, Dory!" Marlin gasped out, hoping that she caught the concept. "He's crazy!"

"Wait, I have something to tell ya!"

_Splat.___

Marlin stared at a guano, which had dropped from above, so close to his face. He then felt a sudden apprehension, like many piercing eyes watching him. Beside him, Dory and the Pelican had froze at the wet sound, also eying it. Carefully, slowly, the trio looked up.

"Mine?"

Oh, good _grief!_

Tens of seagulls were perching nearby, particularly on everywhere they could perch on. They watched directly at him and Dory with hunger. It frightened him. It wasn't like predatory hunger of Sharks or the natural hunger of Pelicans. It was a stupid but very scary hunger, in which the seagulls lock their tiny black eyes on you until you break in sweat, then in the next instant, you would remember nothing of your last moments but the insides of a stomach. It was the kind of hunger that made the predator waited until you move one muscle, then attack. He didn't move, careful not to spook the gulls into a feeding frenzy. Dory was also still, her wide eyes darting around. The Pelican, for some reason, was frozen in mid-stride. He was too big for any of the seagulls to eat! Why didn't he go ahead and gobble the fishes up, anyway?

Then to his surprise, the Pelican gingerly lowered his head, keeping his black eyes on the gulls, and whispered, "Don't make any sudden moves. Hop in my mouth if you want to live."

_Oh, you've got to kidding me._ Marlin managed to direct a disbelieving glower at the Pelican. "Hop in your mouth? How does that make me live?"

"Mine."

The Pelican flinched as a gull landed dangerously close. "Because I can take you to your son."

"Yeah, right."

"No, I know your son. He's orange with a gimpy fin on one side . . ."

His orange eyes widened at the distinguished description. There was no way; simply no way that anybody else beside Nemo could have the same 'gimpy fin'. He yelled out his intense joy at the description, his tail flipping himself up in the air - instantly triggering the seagull's attacks.

He was suddenly deafened by the shrill chant of 'Mine! Mine! Mine!' as he experienced the blunt pounds of the dull beaks upon his body. Flinching at the painful spasms, he found himself being rebounding by the gulls, they trying to snap upon him. Then suddenly, everything around him went dark as he was thrown in something soft and loose. _What, am I in a throat - no! The Pelican! The throat pouch!_ An instant later, something else was bumped against him as the surroundings brightened, then darkened. Even in the dimness, Dory's eyes shone. This time, she wasn't happy, gasping weakly as she rubbed her sore fins. Marlin rested his fin upon hers in an effort to soothe her. It was absurd, and he knew it. They were in some bird's mouth, and their gills were already shriveled from lack of water. If they didn't get to breathe water in seconds, it would be too late.

_Please, give me a chance to tell my son that I'm - _

For some purpose, his wish wasn't finished because it was already answered. The beak opened up and saltwater came pouring in. Marlin inhaled in the sweet liquid, never thought that water could taste so delicious. He then noticed that the throat pouch seemed to sway in wild movements. Was something happening out there? Already curious, Dory surfaced and peered out from the partly opened beak. Her gasps of delight didn't help ease his worry. Will she ever realize that she was in danger? He swam to her, pursuing to make her acknowledge about the danger, then stopped, gawking. 

He was amazed at another new world. He lived in the underwater world, has seen the surface world where Divers and birds lived, but never heard of the sky world. Cool air tickled past his scales, tugging a pleasing sensation much like the one from the ride of the eddy. Boats of all sizes and colors lined up at the Dock, and here and there was a Diver doing business. Once again, Marlin felt freedom and a thrill, just like he felt it during the race in the jellyfish forest, just like in the abyss, and in the eddy. Was that what birds feel when they fly?

The familiar chant of 'Mine! Mine! Mine!' jolted him back to the danger. Gripping on the beak's edge firmly, Marlin then saw the gulls chasing him - no, the Pelican. The Pelican was flapping his wings as hard as he could, his face scowled in fierce determination. The Clownfish was surprised. The Pelican was helping him? But why? Was that because he knew Nemo? How could he know him? The way he spoke about Nemo stated that his son was still alive. It was a relief, but then where could he be?

The Pelican's face was then alarmed. "Everybody, hold on!" he managed to gargle from around the water and the opened beak. Marlin quickly turned around and gasped, for the Pelican was soaring toward wide white sails! _Is he insane?! We'll never get out of this alive!_ All Marlin could do was hang on the beak and scream helplessly, along with Dory's startled shrieks.

In an impressed instant, the Pelican flipped himself into a vertical swoop that sent him flying past between the sails.

Marlin cracked open his eyes, didn't remember closing them, and looked back. Apparently, the gulls were either stupid or too late, for all Marlin saw were their beaks being stuck in the sails. They must've smacked right in the sails and got their beaks stuck.

"Mine! Mine! Mine!"

Yep. Stupid.

Marlin made a relieved laugh as Dory gleefully waved good-bye. Finally, at last, his journey was nearing its end. At last.

***

No matter how angelic or polite children can be, they seemed to be born with a morbid interest in everything that moved. They couldn't help it. They would torture an animal in every possible way just to see how it worked. Using a magnifying glass, they would aim an intense sunray upon an unsuspecting ant, watched the squirms, and felt nothing but horrible amusement. Or they would pull a cat by its tail and laugh at the hisses. They didn't mean it, but they couldn't help it. They were worse than scientists. At least, scientists knew when to stop. Children never stop. They always wanted to know more, wanted to find the reasons why animals were like that, why they acted that way. 

The Tank Gang had experienced such children like that. They often became stunned at the terrible tapping by the children who were merely curious to see how the fishes moved. The children would try and spook poor Bloat into inhaling himself and laughed as the other fishes tried deflating him. The Tank Gang tried their best to tolerate the visits, trying to ignore them, and often they were greatly relieved after the children got bored. They thought they would never meet anybody as worse as the curious children.

Of course, there was always someone much more worse. It was simple logic.

Darla, or Metalteeth, which the Tank Gang nicknamed her with resentfulness, was merrily tapping the tank. Her strength was possible to shake the very glass, scaring the fishes up to the possibility that someday, the glass would shatter under her finger. She was the Tank Gang's living nightmare. When they saw the girl in the doorway, they groaned and quickly covered their ears as the girl darted over to the tank, eager to 'study' them. Gill, Jacques, and Gurgle seemed to have a better time tolerating the taps, hoping that their glares would remove the girl out of their sights. Deb, Bloat, Peach, and Bubbles lost their tolerance after a few seconds of tapping.

"Too loud!" Bubbles cried, the tapping further unnerving him. "Too loud for me!"

Poor Bloat had inhaled and that made Darla tapped some more in madness.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star!" The girl literally shrieked instead of singing. She had focused her attention on her favorite fish - Peach.

"Find a happy place! Find a happy place!" Peach shut her eyes tight, holding on dear life, a couple of her arms already hanging off helplessly.

After what seemed to be longer than an eternity, Darla finally departed the waiting room. The Tank Gang's relief was brief because they knew that any minute, Dr. Sherman will present Nemo to Darla, and any minute, Nemo would be dead. They moved closer to the opposite wall, watching the uncle and niece chattering, their full attention on them. They felt completely lost, knew that they were helpless right now. They couldn't help Nemo. It was too late. Still, they weren't giving up. All the fishes struggled in their heads, trying to find a faint possibility of an idea to save Nemo.

Their worry increased as Dr. Sherman strode up to the glass. Oh, no, he was going to give her Nemo! Then Dr. Sherman formed a grimace on his face as he glanced at the bag. "Oh, poor little fella."

The Tank Gang was horrified to see the little Clownfish floating on his back, his soft face deadpan. Too late.

"He's dead," Bloat groaned.

"Sharkbait!" Gill gasped, his heart twisting in deep grief. He couldn't believe it. Why would Nemo give up all of a sudden?

The bag was then shoved behind the dentist's back, he trying to fool his niece about leaving her present in a car. The fishes' eyes couldn't leave their friend's face. It was impossible. The cheerful, innocent lad was dead? They didn't want to believe that, didn't want to accept it. Nemo slightly stirred, opened one eye. He then grinned at the shocked friends and made a wink. Quickly he floated still as Dr. Sherman shifted the bag out of the fishes' sight.

"He's not dead!" Gill grinned as his gang moved to another wall to watch the dentist closely. 

"What's happening? Why's he playing dead?" Bloat asked worriedly.

The dentist was heading for the bathroom, and Gill felt a burst of pride. "He's going to be flushed!"

The Fishes were amazed at the youngster's cleverness. Finally, Nemo was heading for safety! Everything will be alright!

The dentist shifted from the bathroom to a small trash can standing in a corner. 

"No!" Gill gasped, shaking his head, as if he was dreaming. "Not the trash can!" 

"Hey, I found Nemo's dad!"

The Tank Gang whirled, bewildered to see Nigel balancing as he landed on the awning. He was beaming with barely contained pride, his beak partly open. It was filled with seawater, and two bright-colored fishes peeked out. A Clownfish looked very alike to Nemo, his face full of upset worry, gripping on the beak and trying to search for something. Beside him, a Regal Blue Tang was beaming, curiously looking around.

"Where's Nemo?" Marlin demanded.

"Dentistdentist_dentist__!_" the fishes managed to stutter out from between their frantic pointing gestures. 

Nigel noticed the gestures, didn't see the little Clownfish among the fishes, and understood. He worriedly gazed over to the dentist, seeing the plastic bag heading for the trash can.

"Nigel, get in there!"

"I can't get in there!" he protested at Marlin's order.

"Oh, yes, you can!" Scowling fiercely, Marlin let go of the beak and yanked on the Pelican's tongue. "_Charge!_"

It was an understatement to name this turmoil. It wasn't turmoil. It wasn't disorder. It wasn't even chaos. It was all of them. It wasn't natural for a bird, especially a heavy-looking, awkward Pelican, to enter a building. It wasn't natural for a fish to take control of a Pelican by grabbing on his tongue, either, but the humans didn't know that. What they knew was that a Pelican managed to get inside and cause a frenzy of flapping wings that scared the wits out of Dr. Sherman and Darla. Dr. Sherman, still having his hand closed tight on Nemo's bag, chased Nigel around the room, the Pelican smart enough to stay out of the grabbing hands. Darla did what any other young girl would do - stay in her chair and give out loudest screams, her legs flapping, as her pointing finger targeted the source of the disturbance the whole time.

Finally, Nigel achieved to slam right in the dentist. The bag flew out of his hand and thumped down on the dental tray. Luckily, none of the sharp instruments broke through the plastic. Marlin again peeked out, tried again to see any hint of his son. He found him, there in that bag. 

Floating on his back.

_ . . . Nemo? _

_He is dead? No . . . it can't be . . ._

But he was floating on his back. Dead fishes did that. A certain sign of death. 

_My Nemo is dead?_

"Nemo . . ." Marlin barely voiced out. He felt nothing at this moment, nothing but a deep emptiness. He didn't believe it, didn't want to believe the reality, but it was there. He saw it too late. Nemo was dead. The emptiness began to fill with an emotion that he experienced only once - when his Coral died. Despair. Marlin then cried out with heartbreaking grief. _"Nemo!"___

Nemo popped open his eyes and righted himself. He was shocked to hear his father's voice so close, full of sorrow. "Daddy?" He didn't see his father at all. Just the dentist struggling with a Pelican - Nigel! - and tossing him out the window in frustration. "Daddy!" Where was he? He knew he heard his father's voice. Where was he?

The bag was then jerked and lifted up in the air by a tiny hand. Nemo shrunk to the far side as he regarded the distorted face of Darla.  The green eyes darkened. "Fishy?" She then shook the bag with such a ferocity that shocked even the Tank Gang. "Wake up! Wake up!"

Gill turned furious, his eyes flashing. Like heck, he will be going to give up on Nemo! He had a last plan, the plan that he always kept at the last when all the other plans failed. The plan that cost his right fin. The Moorish Idol turned to his shaken gang and ordered, "Quick, to Mount Wannahockaloogie!" The other fishes already knew the plan and didn't protest at it. They knew it was their last chance to free Nemo from Darla. As the fishes headed for the volcano, Gill wedged himself inside the top tail down. "Bloat!"

The Blowfish had placed himself right underneath the base of the volcano. Inhaling sharply, Bloat got the volcano tipped downward, until Gill's view met the sight of the bag-shaking Darla. Gurgle, Bubbles, and Deb aided in arranging the aim accurately.

"Ring of Fire!"

With swiftness, Jacques turned up the wheel.

_Swoosh!_ With the bubbles' force, the Moorish Idol shot out of the tank, curled into a smooth arc behind the unsuspecting Dr. Sherman and landed right on the target - Darla's head.

"Aaaarrrrggh!"

Again, the bag flew up, then, with a snap, burst apart at the contact of the dental instruments. Nemo tumbled onto a dental mirror, and he was frightened at the breaths of the dry water. He struggled to draw in shaken breaths as he watched the girl screaming with Gill flipping calmly on her head. He could hear the wild cheers from the Tank Gang, but he was bewildered. What was Gill trying to do? How could he get free from the girl by having his second father distracting her?

Dr. Sherman whirled around at his niece's screams. "Crikey! Animals have gone crazy!" Already frustrated, he headed to aid Darla, but then his head met the dental X-ray machine. He was out cold before he greeted the cool floor. 

Gill aimed off from her head and landed on the dental tray. Already gasping for breath, Gill nevertheless cast the astonished lad a proud grin. "Hey, Sharkbait, tell your dad I said hi." His face then in serious determination, the Moorish Idol flipped over to the mirror handle, cleverly lurching Nemo over toward the drain. Nemo felt a sensation of flying, then sharply smacked into the bowl. Water pulled against him, and he felt like he was being swallowed into a metal throat. Just before he was vanished out of sight, he heard a faint "Go get 'em!"

The Tank Gang whooped when Nemo finally entered the drain. At last, he was on his way to freedom. They knew they'll miss the innocent Clownfish afterward, but at least, they knew that he wasn't leaving with Darla this time. He was finally safe and will soon be back with his father. They then watched as Dr. Sherman unsteadily stood up, rubbing his sore head, and returned the gasping Gill to the tank. They surrounded him, grinning with joy and relief.

"Is he gonna be ok, Gill?" Gurgle quietly questioned, his eyes wide with anxiety.

Gill gave him a reassured smile. "Don't worry. All drains lead to the ocean."

"FIshy!" Darla was yelling, leaning on the drain bowl. It broke under her weight and a spurt of water spit at her.

The Tank Gang grinned.

A/O:

When I first saw Darla, the memories of my grade school returned. I never wore braces (thanks goodness!), and so whenever I saw a kid with braces, I tended to call him/her Metal Teeth. Yes, I know that was mean, but hey, kids are always mean in one way or another, and _you _know it. :) I couldn't resist not calling Darla Metal Teeth, because she has the worst braces I've ever seen in my life. Poor kid. She'll be traumatized in later life, I guarantee you.


	14. Father and Son

Disclaimer:

"She's gone? Are you sure?"

_Ye-es . . ._

"Because I've heard that little demons like her can sneak right in and spo - "

_Dot! Don't make me bring in D-A-R - _

"Okay! Okay, okay . . ." 

Dot swims in, suspiciously glaring a burn spot at everything she could glare at. Eventually, an yellow eye fills the screen, red veins standing out.

"Are you sure you're not her, you little guppy?"

Satisfied that no one has answered her, Dot backs up and then grins with cheerfulness like something odd has never happened.

"Hello, people! So you've managed to read through the most boring fiction ever, and I'm betting that you're looking forward to finish this as quick as you can . . ."

The Domino pauses, puzzled. She waits, looking expectant, peering at her sides and above. Nothing happens.

"What's happening? I'm making fun of the novelization here! You're supposed to stop me from doing it by now, like throwing a pearl at me or chasing me out.  . . . JC? Mademoiselle?"

A tiny voice whispers, thick and emotional, "This's - " *sniffle* " - a sad chapter." *Sniffle* "No abuse or humor here, ok?" *Sniffle*

She narrows her eyes. "Is that a tear I see dripping down your cheek, JC?"

"This's a sad chapter, ok?! I'm a sensitive guy! I cry at sad scenes! Do you have a problem with that?!"

Dot backs a little, grinning shakily. "No, I don't have a problem with that." Before JC begins to wail, she hurriedly starts the disclaimer. "You already know that we don't own anything that relates to _Finding Nemo_, right? Ok, good." She then goes to her friend's side and gently pats his fin.

"It'll be okay. The chapter has a happy ending, too."

"Happy endings make me cry, too."

" . . . You're awfully sensitive, aren't you?"

Chapter Twelve: Father and Son

She didn't know what to do.

Whenever she saw someone being grieved, mad, or even impassive, she would do anything to see a smile on the face. She didn't care if her first rewards were scowls, growls, or snarls, as long as her efforts formed smiles afterward. It was a blessing to her, a natural sensation for her to do. She often found a reason to be happy in sad moments, and she loved to show that to everybody.

But she couldn't feel happy when she got to see her friend's son. Back there . . . where? Somewhere outside the ocean, she thought so, but she could remember the very moment so clearly. A little Clownfish, floating on his back in that tiny bag. Her friend's face filled with grief when he saw his son after a long time. She was stunned, immediately knowing that the floating-on-the-back sign meant death. What a horrible end for the young son and what a terrible end for the father. As the Pelican departed, her friend sank onto the tongue, eerily silenced. He radiated such powerful grief that it affected her, too. She was almost frightened of the new emotion, knowing that she had experienced it before, but never that profound, never that solid.

She'd returned to his side, attempting to put a smile on his face, but couldn't. Her heart leaped with uncertainty when he simply leaned against her, as if was seeking comfort or losing strength, and began weeping openly. His shaking sobs weakened her confidence, and all she could do was place her fins around him and let him weep. 

Several moments later, they were returned to the sea by the nice Pelican (couldn't recall his name) somewhere off the harbor. She was bewildered, too, at the Pelican's sorrowful face. Why? Was he sad about her friend's son, too? The Pelican's voice was very gentle, and she felt grateful for it, hoping that it will ease down her friend's grief. 

"I'm so sorry. Truly, I am." Then he flew off, leaving the fishes.

Dory watched the bird getting smaller, wondering how she could stop feeling sad. She didn't want to feel it again. It was a scary feeling, and sometimes, she felt like she was supposed to cry. But she didn't want to. A faint sensation of movement, and she looked at her side. Her friend was gone. Was he underwater already? Her guess proved right as she dove back in. The Clownfish was already low in the water, again eerily silent. She hesitated, fearing to see more tears from his face, but he'd stopped weeping already. Still, she would prefer him to be weeping instead of being so scarily silent like that. 

Still, her kindness pursued her to aid him. Carefully swimming down to float behind his tail - she was too scared to see his blank face - and voiced gently, "Hey . . ."

"Dory." He didn't even try to look back. Only his voice responded and it was thick with despair. Yet, she thought she heard a hint of gratefulness in it. "If it wasn't for you, I never would've even made it here." His head slightly shifted, appearing to nod. "So . . . thank you."

She stared at his departing body. "Wait a minute . . ." Why was he leaving? Why did she feel like he was leaving her? No, please. She darted forward and landed in front of him. "Wait. Where are you going?" She tried to search for any other emotion on his face, but all she found was sorrow. His eyes were so dull that they were like dead.

"It's over, Dory. We are too late. Nemo's gone, and I'm going home." He shifted away and swam deeper in the dark waters.

Dory felt the sorrow intensifying, hardening her chest and throat. Why? Why was she feeling sad? She didn't want him to leave. She didn't want to . . . be alone. "No. No, you can't."

He kept swimming. 

_Wait! Please! Stop. Stop . . ._

"Stop!"

He stopped. Didn't look back. But he did stop.

"Please . . ." She bit on an escaping sob and attempted to control her emotions. "Don't go away . . . I - I - No one's ever stuck with me for so long before." It was true. No one cared enough to look beyond her flaw to stay as a friend. She had no friends, as much as she could remember, until she met him. _If he leaves . . . _"If you leave . . ." Why didn't she want him to leave . . . ? She looked at him and recalled why. "I - I remember things better with you." A slight smile appeared. "I do! Look - P. Sherman, 42 . . . 42 . . ." Oh, no, not again! Stupid memory loss! "Oh, I know it's there! I know it's because when I look at you . . . I can feel it."

Again, she gazed at her friend. Her only friend. "When I look at you, I . . . I'm home."

_Please look at me. Please trust me. Please stay._

"Please. I don't want that to go away. I don't want to forget."

Finally, he turned. There was gentle friendship in his face, she could see it. But . . . but there was something else. She didn't know what, but it scared her. His faint smile scared her. The farewell in his eyes scared her.

"I'm sorry, Dory. But I do."

He vanished into the dark waters. She was alone. 

_Please remember._

***

Like all the other Crabs who dwelled near the sewer pipes, Baz and Bernie knew that they'd found the perfect feeding spot. The pipes were a great source of bits of food, scum, and other things you won't really want to know, which escaped from several holes via bubbles. Crabs loved to eat them, and since the pipes had constant leakage of food, they wouldn't dream to leave their feeding spots.

Baz and Bernie had found a small hole, perfect for the red and green Crabs, jealously guarded it, glaring with toughness at any invader. They were sitting there, using their pincers to skillfully snatch bits of food from the bubbles stream.

Occasionally, they would burst with joy and utter:

"Manna from heaven!"

"Sweet nectar of life!"

Must be a Crab thing.

Baz and Bernie loved their quiet life, enjoyed scaring off other Crabs and eating for hours. They didn't expect any excitement. But no matter how quiet life can be excitement was bound to leak in. Baz, the red Crab, gazed up and tensed, hissing, as he regarded a small orange-white fish swimming for them. "Hey! Hey!" When the fish ignored them, swimming past, Baz grinned nastily. "Yeah, that's right, fella! Keep on swimming!"

"Too right, mate," agreed the snorting Bernie. He then jerked away from the hole as he saw another fish popping out! "Hey, I've got a live one!'

The fish questioned hopefully, "Have you seen my dad?" He then yelled, dodging, as the Crabs snapped at him. He darted away in a flash.

The Crabs stopped after a very brief chase, staring at their would-be food in sorrow. Baz then scowled and bonked on his friend's shell. "You let him go!"

"Hey!" Bernie pushed him off.

As the Crabs bickered and wrestled, Nemo swam near the surface, his tiny voice pushing to yell out 'Dad!' with loudness. He was in a new place, but the taste of the waters proved that he was near the harbor, what from the filthiness and the vastness of the space. "Dad! Dad!" His father was supposed to wait! Gill said his father would be waiting in or near the harbor, so where was he? "Dad!" The surrounding fishes weren't as colorful as him, colored dull blue, grey, or green. It should be easy to see a flicker of orange that was his father, but he couldn't see anything.

Nemo stopped at some sort of structure that he didn't know the name. He heard someone crying. It came from above, and he looked up. He saw a fish circling a chain that hung from the structure - oh! She was bright-colored! He didn't know what species she was, but she appeared to be a Tang. Maybe a Regal Blue Tang. She was tropical, so she must be from the north. But why was she sad? Was she lost?

Nemo swam up to her, watching her circling the chain. She did look like she was lost; her eyes darted around helplessly, and an occasional sniffle escaped from her. "Excuse me?" Nemo questioned shyly. "Are you alright?"

At his question, the Blue's eyes seemed to mist over with tears. "I - I don't know what am I doing here." She kept swimming around, wiping her eyes. "I don't know where I am. I think I lost somebody, but I can't remember."

Nemo tilted his head at the sight of her. She seemed nice and he wanted to help her, too. "It's okay. I'm searching for someone, too." Hey . . . maybe they can look together! She can help him find his father, and he can help her find whoever she was searching for. It was a nice thing to do. He beamed, wagging his tail. "C'mon, we can look together!"

The Blue stared at him and then shyly smiled. "I'm Dory."

"I'm Nemo."

"Nemo?" She seemed to halt, looking like she was remembering something. Then she grinned. "That's a nice name."

Several minutes later, Nemo already loved his new friend. He knew that she was as old as his father, maybe younger, but she acted like a kid. She beamed and laughed just like a kid, and she was obviously very eager to help him find his father. She was funny, too, when she called for his father not by his name, but by the title.

"Dad!" 

"Dad!"

"Dad!"

Dory stopped, confused. "Wait a minute. Is it your dad or my dad?"

"My dad." Nemo giggled at her forgetfulness.

"Got it! Dad!" 

Nemo again scanned his surroundings. He wondered if he was really in the harbor or even close to it. Gill didn't tell him what the harbor looked like underwater because he'd never been there, and Nigel wasn't much help, for he haven't seen it underwater, either. Nemo felt lost, and he was worried. He hoped that his father didn't think the same and tried to search for him at the same time. What if they ended up searching in the wrong places? 

"Where are we, anyway?" Nemo wondered out loud, hoping that a name will help him.

Dory floated down to the pipes, searching for 'Dad'. Then she stopped, seeing words engraved on a pipe. Wait a minute . . . They looked very familiar. "Oh, Sid - Shir - Sydney - " She gasped in remembrance. "_'P. Sherman, __42 Wallaby Way__, __Sydney__'_!" She remembered. She remembered! Like a dam opening to let water flooding out, stored memories began flowing in, filling her mind, flashing their pictures and words in blurs of colors. She remembered everything! Meeting her friend. The Sharks. Abyss. Anglerfishnemosquishyturtleswhalenemopelicansdentistnemo! Nemo!__

"Oh, Nemo!" She grabbed on the shocked Clownfish in ecstasy and spun him around. "You're Nemo! You're alive!"

"Yes, Yes, I'm Nemo!" he managed to stutter out.

"You're alive - !" Dory let him go, gasping. "But you were dead! I saw you!" But then she beamed with joy, again embracing him. "And here you are! I found you! And your father - " She stopped, realizing. Mar - Marlin. Marlin! She remembered his name! "Your father!"

"My father?" Nemo wiggled out from her strong embrace and gazed at her with a mix of bewilderment and hope. "You know my father?" Talk about luck! She knew about his father and she completely forgot about him! Was his father the one she lost, too?

Dory never felt so excited. When she remembered the city's name, she finally recalled everything, even the sad moments. She now remembered that Marlin thought he'd lost his son and left her behind. She remembered that the Clownfish beside her was really Nemo, and she was determined to take him back to his father. She glanced back and remembered that over there was where Marlin departed. He had to be there! She grabbed on Nemo's lucky fin. "Oh, quick, quick, he went this way, come on, follow me!"

They found a couple of Crabs, one already waiting on the pipes as the other attempting to get on. "Hey, hey!" The Crabs alarmingly looked up toward the wide-eyed Blue, backing up, putting up their pincers threateningly. Dory ignored the reaction and firmly asked, "Have you seen an orange fish?" She then pointed to Nemo. "He looks just like him!"

"But bigger!" Nemo added.

Bernie briefly glanced to Baz and both sneered sleazily. Bernie stepped forward, acting all tough-y. "Yeah, Bluey, I've seen him, but I'm not gonna tell you and you don't gonna make me." He performed a flourish of waving his snapping pincers in the Blue's face, and laughed smugly.

Dory stared at the insulting Crab and then experienced a boiling sensation in her. An unlikely expression came on her face - a scowl. The scowl actually made her looking fierce. For the first time, as long as she could remember, Dory was mad. Simply mad. Surprisingly, to the rest, she didn't yell, threaten, or even beat them up. Instead, her scowl seemed to deepen into a bitter glower, and she gently pushed Nemo aside. Then, with an amazing show of her strength, she snatched on the astonished Bernie's pincer tightly and darted up to the surface. Flipping him upside-down, she then shoved him up in the air.

Bernie blinked, balancing on the flimsy fin, and then glanced over to a rock perched with Gulls. Unpleasant memories flashed through his head. Almost eaten by a Pelican. Being chased from Seagulls. The same Seagulls.

Pairs of black eyes instantly locked on him.

"Mine."

He screamed girlishly. "Alright, I'll talk, I'll talk! He went to the feeding grounds!" He was pulled back in just before the gulls could take a nice chuck out of him. 

Serves him right for offending a lady.

***

He knew he shouldn't have left her behind, but it was necessary. He knew that once Dory forgot all about him, it wouldn't hurt her that much as she thought so. The only one who was truly hurt was Marlin. He had felt the same despair over his Coral's death. He lost Nemo. His only child. That wounded his heart so deeply that he thought he could die from the grief. After he wept in Dory's fins, he regretted that he will eventually leave her, and for that, her comfort was too painful. He then felt impassive, no longer feeling the grief. He knew he was mourning, but no more tears came. All he could recall were Nemo's face and laughter. Nothing will take him back. He was grieved that Nemo's last words were _'I hate you' _and that hurt him so bad. But Marlin couldn't do anything about it. It was too late. The only thing he could do was return home. To an empty home.

He joined in a school of grim groupers, not noticing that his actions were leading him to the feeding grounds. But even if he did know, what was the point? He lost his only son, and he had nothing else to live for. What was the point?

He mindlessly bumped in a Grouper, receiving a frown from the giant Grey. "Hey, watch it."

"I'm sorry," Marlin softly muttered. "I'm trying to get home." 

"Daddy!"

Marlin slowed down, unsure with what he heard. He thought he heard things, but he hoped he did. He didn't want to have Hope nagging in his mind again. But . . . the yell was real. He knew it. A flicker of hope warmed in his chest, and Marlin turned his head, looking back. " . . . Nemo?"

"Daddy!"

Marlin's eyes widened when he saw a small flash of orange flittering among the greyness. "Nemo?"

"Nemo is alive!"

"Dory?" It was her. She was a dark blue shade by the orange flash, but it was her. If it was her, then the orange had to be . . . He gasped. "Nemo!" As he hurried closer, he knew he was right. They were Nemo and Dory! He didn't stop to think how Nemo came to the ocean or even how Dory get to be with him. The fact that Nemo was alive and here was just too much for him. With a cry of joy, he tumbled into Nemo, embracing him tightly. He never thought that he would have his Nemo in his fins, feeling the warmth of his son.

"It's okay, son," Marlin murmured, looking down to Nemo's beaming face. "It'll be alright."

Dory grinned, glad that the grief was gone. She didn't have to cry, and Marlin didn't have to leave her and Nemo anymore. She then gazed up in puzzlement as she heard someone yelling. The grey fishes were hurrying past her, the opposite way from where they were originally going. Turning around, she saw a strange object in the water, coming for the fishes - a Diver-made thing. Look like a net . . . Dory gasped, realizing that she and her friends were in its path. Darting forward, she then yelled, "Look out!"

Marlin responded quickly, dragging Nemo out of the path, out of the gaping mouth of the net. He kept holding tightly on Nemo's fin, not wanting him disappearing out of his sight. He was dismayed to see most of the groupers getting trapped in the net. He wanted to help, but he knew that it was too difficult. Divers built their traps so effectively that there was no way for any of the fishes to escape. But . . . but he felt that something was missing. Someone was missing. But who?

"Heeeelp!"

Marlin caught sight of a bright blue spot among the greyness. "Dory!" No! It can't be! Dory was trapped in the net, too! His chest tightened again with the same despair.

He was snapped back when Nemo tugged on his fin. "C'mon, let's go!"

Dory was gripping on the crossed cords with her fins, her face's expression mixed with fright and persistence, bracing at the wild thrashes of the Groupers against her. She felt so stupid. She'd stopped to make sure that her friends were free of the net, but instead, she got herself trapped. She was upset at herself, but then when she saw the Clownfishes coming for her. They were free! It was a good thing, but what about her? How could she get out? 

She felt her grip slackening, already sore, and she gasped out, "Get us out!" before she was pushed deeper between the Groupers.

Marlin missed grabbing on her fin, only seeing her scarlet gaze vanishing into the greyness, pleading. "Dory!" He can't believe that he forgot all about her! He should've kept an eye on her!

Beside him, Nemo was watching the net not with worry, but with realization. "Dad, I've got an idea!" He darted forward into the net, but then was pulled into a stop by a grasp on his tail. Looking back, he saw Marlin's fin tightly on his tail.

"Nemo, no!" He looked so frightened.

Nemo tried to yank his tail out, but the fear had sharpened the tightness. "Dad, we have to tell all the fishes to swim down together!"

"Get out of here!" His dad snapped, trying to pull him back out.

Nemo used his good fin to brace against the hold, glaring back. "I know this will work!"

"No, I won't lose you again!"

"Dad, there's no time!" Nemo then recalled his father's care for Dory. If Nemo couldn't convince him, then the safety of Dory should. "It's the only way to save Dory!"

He saw the frown on Marlin's face softening. He could see that his dad was too frightened to let him go in fear that he will lose him again. But if he didn't let him go, he will lose her, too. The face held such softness and fear for both him and her that Nemo faintly smiled in reassurance. "I can do this."

Marlin was amazed with heavy confidence in his son's face. So much has changed, and Nemo was changed, he can see that. He seemed more confident of his actions, learned to live without having his father watching over him every minute. He'd grown up. He may be a different Nemo, but he was still his son. He felt pride coming in his chest, and he softly smiled back. As the son was changed, the father was changed, too. 

He let go of Nemo's tail and nodded. "You're right. I know you can."

Nemo twisted around until his lucky fin was out of the net. "Lucky fin!"

Grinning, Marlin gave him a low-five. "Now, go! Hurry!"

"We have to tell the fishes to swim down!" the lad acknowledged before he disappeared inside.

Marlin backed, now eying the nearby Groupers. "Well? You heard my son! C'mon, swim down together!" He understood that it was natural that anybody would be so overwhelmed in times like this that it was difficult to think straight. If a firm voice didn't keep them in track, they would be taken out of the ocean and die there. Marlin knew it. His sole concern was for Nemo and Dory, but seeing the befuddlement in pairs of startled eyes, he decided that he has to take charge. 

He grabbed on the cords and glared at one of the Groupers, who was staring back in bafflement. "You have to swim down!" He gazed at the nearby fishes, they now calming their thrashes and focusing their attention on him. "Listen, you all have to swim down! It's the only way to get out of that net! Swim down!" He became frustrated at the confused looks. "Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" Finally, they nodded. He let go of the cords and jabbed his fin down. "Swim! Down!"

Marlin glanced up and saw that the edge of the net was already out of the water. He could see some of Groupers becoming frightened as they neared the surface. He turned to the bottom Groupers and barked, "C'mon, swim down! Don't give up! Put your tail into it!" The Groupers forced themselves, their faces now persistent. Slowly, slowly, the net halted in motion, then . . . the fishes had got it! The net was moving down! "That's it!"

A song came in his head, and Marlin was astonished that he still recalled Dory's Swimming Song. It was so welcoming that he decided to use it for his advantage. Grinning madly, Marlin began the song. "_When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do?_"

He was surprised when a Grouper asked, "What do we do?" 

"_Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!_" He laughed as some of the Groupers joined in, their bass voices mingling with his voice. Who ever knows that Dory's little song would help save fish-hood? The Groupers were no longer frightened, now grinning as all joined in. He was still singing when Nemo and Dory finally came in his sight. They looked weary and sore from having to swim between thrashes, but they were grinning, their tasks done. 

Dory gave him an astonished look when she regarded him singing, then grinned when he winked back. She joined in, her voice blithe. 

Nemo laughed, holding on a cord for balance, also surprised to see his over-protective, worried father singing in merriment. But he didn't want him to stop. He loved the singing. He wanted him to keep singing. "Come on, Dad!"

Marlin grinned. "You're doing great, son!"             

Nemo felt strong pride for his father, proud to be his son. He told the nearest Grouper with glee, "That's my dad!"

_"Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!"_

Lower . . . Lower . . . Lower, the net was pushed down. Just a bit more . . .

_"Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming! Just keep swimm-"_

_Snap!_

Now that the rope was ripped off, the net was slackened. With the force of the fishes, the net's bottom met the bottom of the sea with a crash. Cheers filled the waters as the Groupers fled from the slackened net. Marlin had backed off when they crashed, waiting for the fishes to leave. Worriedly, he searched for his son and Dory, hoping that they were alright and safe. But he only saw her, floating and beaming at the Groupers. He hastened to her, relieved to see her safe, but she was alone. "Dory! Where's Nemo?"

Dory slightly frowned for a moment, but recognizance was still in her face. She didn't forget about his son. She glanced around and pointed down, gasping. "There!"

The net was already on the bottom, everybody out of the grasps. But not everybody, as Marlin spotted a tiny orange object on the sand, under the cords. Nemo! Together, they hurried down and pulled the net off from him. Nemo didn't even stir, laying limply and quietly.

Marlin clenched his fins, not wanting to cry again. "Nemo? Please, Nemo, wake up."

_'There, there, there,' the father soothed as he tenderly picked up the egg in his fins. 'It's ok. Daddy's here. Daddy's got you . . .'_

Nemo coughed out sand and stirred, weakly opening his eyes. The orange eyes shifted onto him. "Daddy?"

He sobbed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness."

The lad then expressed wounded guilt. "Daddy . . . I don't hate you."

Marlin shook his head, touching his son's face gently. "No, I'm sorry. It's okay."

Nemo merely smiled and weakly held up his right fin - his lucky fin. Marlin stared at it, sensing profound love for his son, so proud to have a son like him, and he smiled back. His fin lovingly held around it. The moment seemed to be still, he alone with his son once again. 

He sank onto the sand, his smile widened. "Hey, guess what?"

"What?" Nemo was now curious.

"Sea turtles. I met one. And he was 150."

The son's eyes slightly widened, then looked puzzled. "150?"

"Yep."

"Sandy Plankton said they live up only to be a hundred."

The father's smile didn't slacken, but a sparkle of awareness danced in his eyes. He then gave out an amused laugh that made him appear younger. "Sandy Plankton? Do you think I'd cross the entire ocean and not know as much as _Sandy Plankton_?" Nemo giggled as Marlin tickled him, continuing, "They live up to 150, not 100! Who is this Sandy Plankton who knows everything?"

Nemo was content. His father did swim all over the ocean, battling jellyfish and sharks, just to find him. He felt so safe under his fin, so happy that he was finally back with him. He then knew that he wouldn't ask for a better father than Marlin. 

_'Daddy, you're the best.'_

A/O:

I actually cried during 'Good-bye, Dory' scene for, like, seven or eight times! Even though I know that at the end, Dory gets to stay with Marlin and Nemo, I bawled. 

*hugs Marlin* In this scene, I had to love Marlin! I know that Nemo deserves a shining moment, but hey, look at Marlin! Nemo knew what to do, convinced his dad to let him do his plan, and succeeded. Marlin just jumped in charge and did it beautifully! I was amazed at how easy he fit in that role. Marlin is officially my second favorite fish after Gurgle. But then Dot has Gurgle, so that means I have Marlin. ^^ But wait! I love Chum, too! Well . . . Dang, too many fishes to choose from! ^^ Ok, enough of the fangirl mushy stuff.


	15. Epilogue

Disclaimer:

Since this's the epilogue, we don't need to set the disclaimer once again. All we wish for you is that you've enjoyed yourself reading the novelization as well as I do while writing this. In the future, we might forget about this movie and the wonderful characters who taught us about a lot of things. We might not forget - or refuse to forget them because they aid you to look inside yourself and see the characters within. 

It does teach me a thing. No matter how hard or how long the journey will be, the rewards will be great at the end.

Remember Dory's song of 'Keep Swimming'?

Well, I advise you: keep dreaming.

Epilogue: Love Ya

Sure, everyday, the sun dawned, giving off its rays to dance on the waters, just like any other day. Everyday, the fishes woke to the sun and became alive, swimming and working and eating with contentment. Just like any other day. This day was nothing special. 

If you recall, it was Nemo who woke up first and shook his father awake for school the other day. Usually, he did that, becoming his routine.  

Well, even parents like to have their way of waking their children. 

"Time for school!" Marlin laughed when he saw his son still sleeping on the anemone bed. He was always shaken awake from Nemo's excitement, but now it was his turn. He tickled Nemo awake, grinning. "Come on, let's go!"

Marlin, Nemo, and Dory had arrived to the reef safely after a week, to the surprised welcome of the dwelling fishes. They already knew about Marlin's unique adventures and had grown to admire him. They were amazed that the timid Clownfish from the orange anemone, the one who would never leave its safety, was now cheerful, laid-back, and completely changed. Marlin made friends very easily, like his son, learning to enjoy simple things and admire the beauty. 

Nemo was also changed, but not as much, because he was already changed from the minute he was taken away. He seemed wiser than any of the youngsters he associated with, more aware of things around. Still, he didn't lose his innocence from the experiences. He was still the same Nemo, only more mature.

Even the fishes accepted the forgetful Dory right away. Her memory had grown a bit better than before, and she was just learning to remember everybody's name. Well, she could forget from time to time, but the fishes were kind and understanding. Kids loved her very much. She would love to play with them anytime and even the fishes admired her positive outlook on life. Dory finally had a home and a family.

You want to know about the rest?

Squirt has joined Nemo's school as an exchange student. Righteous, dude!

Bruce, Chum, and Anchor were definitely the oddest friends a fish could have, but the fishes already appreciated them and welcomed them into the reef. It wasn't always that easy to accept a ferocious shark, let alone three, but it was a good start. 

Dory has even joined the Fish Eaters Anonymous Club! Talk about support.

Bob, Bill, and Ted still called Marlin Marty. Perhaps it was because of the 'Pony Boy' nickname Bob was so rudely received. But we know that Marlin only meant it to be friendly. Right?

And that's how the story went. A journey of a father searching the entire ocean to find his son. A journey of love. A journey of courage. A journey of faith.

Worlds went on within worlds. Lives began from other lives. The currents moved on.

Come over to the Great Barrier Reef, where dreams are born and rainbows are painted upon scales. Listen to the ocean whispering to the sky about the stories that keep Life going on. If you would be quiet and still, when the ocean is gently billowing, maybe, just maybe you would hear a voice whispering _'Love ya, Dad.'_

And maybe, you might hear another voice responding, too. _'I love you, too, son.'_

A truly happy ending.

Never the End. :) 

As the movie is dedicated to Glenn McQueen, I dedicate this novelization to you, all the Finding Nemo fans. Why? Because I can. :)

But wait . . . This story may be ended, but there's another story waited to be told.

_In __Sydney__ . . ._

Back in the Dentist's room, where Dr. Sherman was pondering with one of the mysteries of the world. A broken Aquascum rested innocently in his hands, the glaring red eye now a grey dullness. It was receiving a bitter glower from the human as he grumbled to his weary listener. "Barbara, I don't understand it. Here this thing has a lifetime guarantee and it breaks!" He slapped it in disbelief. "I have to clean the tank myself, take all the fishes out and put 'em in bags and . . ."

Dr. Sherman blinked when he didn't see anything on the counter. He knew he had left the fishes in the bags there so . . . 'Where did they go?"

_Psst. Over there. In the harbor._

"Come on, Peach!"

"You can do it!"

"Hurry!"

Using her muscles to push her bag forward to the edge of the street, Peach glared down to her friends, who were already free from the dentist's office, floating within their bags. They were cheering her on, encouraging her to come in. She growled, "It's the shortest traffic stop I've ever seen!" Finally, with a lunge, she tumbled into the harbor water.

The Tank Gang cheered, joyful that they were finally free. 

Yeah, free from the tank . . . 

Not quite free from the bags . . .

Bloat frowned. "Now what?"

Yeah, now what?


End file.
